Manatee Elementary classes cleaned up over break

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http://www.naplesnews.com/02/12/naples/d874452a.htm

Saturday, December 21, 2002

Manatee Elementary classes cleaned up over break

By RAY PARKER, brparker@...

Over the Christmas break, five Manatee Elementary School classrooms will

have their carpets replaced or cleaned because of air quality concerns. The

district's consultant, Apollo Environmental Inc., found water-damaged and

mold-contaminated ceiling tiles in room 9-114, the only room where carpet

will be replaced.

" Our consultant found it didn't create any health hazard, " said Eli Mobley,

the district's director of risk management. He added no one at the school

has reported health problems.

In its Oct. 18 report, the consultant made three recommendations:

More fresh air should flow into rooms 8-100, 8-102, 9-107 and 9-111 to

reduce carbon dioxide levels since high levels indicate inadequate

ventilation.

Rooms 9-106, 9-107, 9-109, 9-112 and 9-114 should be specially vacuumed and

all surfaces cleaned with a 10 percent Clorox solution. Additional

bioaerosol testing was recommended.

No items should be stored in front of or on top of unit ventilators.

Carlton, whose wife teaches in room 9-114, suggested all of the

school's classrooms be tested. Although sympathetic, some Collier County

School Board members didn't think more testing was the solution.

Board Chairwoman Abbott said that, instead of testing, which isn't

always reliable, educators should monitor people having any symptoms of

toxic mold or fungus exposure: nosebleeds, headaches, respiratory problems.

" We're becoming more aware of it now, " Abbott said.

Member Pat Carroll agreed. " This is an area of concern, " she said.

The board agreed to review the district's procedures within the next couple

of months.

Superintendent Dan White cautioned there is a procedure in place.

" If we do one school totally on one request, I'm telling you we're going to

have the same type of thing " from other schools, White said.

So far, the district has spent $40,000 this school year alone on indoor air

quality testing.

In October, district officials hosted a symposium on the issue.

Henry Slack, an Environmental Protection Agency indoor air quality manager,

warned most districts' testing is an unnecessary expense.

He said a district will spend $20,000 for a report but it won't be able to

tell officials where the mold comes from.

" If you see mold growing, you don't need to test, " he said.

But he added that a district may need to test for hidden mold for medical or

legal reasons.

Collier's Mobley said the district's consultant is independent when making

its recommendations, such as the ones for Manatee Elementary.

" We take air quality serious, " said Mobley, whose wife is a teacher. " We're

not trying to put anybody in harm's way. "