FYI: Canadian mold guidelines

[Guest guest]

FYI: Not sure wether this has been posted or not. How far off are we? This was

fowarded to me this morning by an environmental specialist that I know on the

Cape.

Darlene

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Canada Issues

Proposed Guidelines for Indoor Molds Due to Health Effects

The Canadian

Department of Health has issued proposed guidelines for mold in

residential buildings. The proposed recommendations and justification

are below and reprinted with permission from the Canada Gazette. The

publication of this notice in the Canada Gazette is official public

notice of the proposed guidelines and they are seeking public comment

during the current 60 day period.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT, 1999

Proposed residential indoor air quality guideline for

moulds Pursuant to subsection 55(3) of the Canadian

Environmental Protection Act, 1999, the Minister of Health hereby

gives notice of a proposed residential indoor air quality guideline

for moulds. After reviewing the most recent scientific evidence

regarding moulds and its effects on health, the Minister recommends

to control humidity and diligently repair any water damage in

residences to prevent mould growth; and

to clean thoroughly any mould growing in residential

buildings.

These recommendations apply regardless of the mould species

found to be growing in the building.

Any person may, within 60 days after publication of this

notice, file with the Minister of Health written comments on the

proposed guidelines. All written comments will be made available upon

request to all interested parties. All comments, requests for copies

of the proposal, and information requests must cite the Canada

Gazette, Part I, and the date of publication of this notice and be

sent to the Air Health Effects Division, Health Canada, 269 Laurier

Avenue W, 3rd Floor, PL 4903C, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K9, 613-957-1876

(telephone), 613-954-7612 (fax), air@... (email).

December 13, 2006

PAUL GLOVER

Director General

Safe Environments Programme

On behalf of the Minister of Health

ANNEX

RESIDENTIAL INDOOR AIR QUALITY GUIDELINE

MOULDS

Physical and chemical properties

The word " mould " is a common term referring to fungi that

can grow on building materials in homes or other buildings. Mould

growth can influence air quality because both spores and mycelial

fragments are dispersed into the air and can be inhaled. Their

penetration into the bronchial tree depends on their size. The smaller

particles penetrate deeper into the lungs.

Three features of mould biochemistry are of special

interest in terms of human health:

Mould cell walls contain (1->3)-ß-D-glucan, a compound with

inflammatory properties;

Mould spores and mycelial fragments contain allergens; and

The spores of some species contain low molecular weight

chemicals that are cytotoxic or have other toxic properties (e.g.

satratoxins and atranones produced by Stachybotrys chartarum).

Causes of mould growth

Mould growth in a house requires the presence of nutrients,

an adequate temperature, and a sufficient amount of water. The first

two requirements being usually met in indoor environments, fungal

growth usually results from a moisture problem (CMHC 2003). Major

causes of mould growth are

excess humidity resulting in condensation on surfaces;

water leakage, e.g. from a broken pipe;

infiltration of water from the outside, e.g. from a leaking

roof or a cracked basement; and

a flood.

Health effects

Health Canada has carried out two reviews of the scientific

literature pertaining to the health effects of indoor moulds (Health

Canada 1995; 2004). The Institut national de santé publique du Québec

also published a review on this subject (d'Halewyn et al. 2003). The

following conclusions were drawn:

Exposure to indoor mould is associated with an increased

prevalence of asthma-related symptoms such as chronic wheezing,

irritative, and non-specific symptoms; and

In laboratory animal studies, instillation of fungal antigens

(Penicillium sp. and Aspergillus sp.) and fungal cell components

[(1->3)-ß-D-glucan] resulted in an inflammatory response in the

lungs of rodents, while instillation of Stachbotrys chartarum

spores resulted in severe biochemical and ultrastructural

changes.

These conclusions have been supported by more recent

findings. In two cohort studies (Wickman et al. 2003; Jaakkola et al.

2005), significant associations were found between home dampness and

the risk of developing asthma. In experimental studies, asthma-like

responses were observed in mice following exposure to a typical

building-associated fungus, Penicillium chrysogenum(Chung et al.

2005), and inflammatory responses were seen in rats exposed to low

doses of toxins from the same species (Rand et al. 2005).

Residential Indoor Air Quality Guideline

Health Canada considers that mould growth in residential

buildings may pose a health hazard. Health risks depend on exposure

and, for asthma symptoms, on allergic sensitization. Therefore, Health

Canada recommends

to control humidity and diligently repair any water damage in

residences to prevent mould growth; and

to clean thoroughly any mould growing in residential

buildings.

These recommendations apply regardless of the mould species

found to be growing in the building.

Further, results from tests for the presence of fungi in

air cannot be used to assess risks to the health of building

occupants.

From:

http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partI/2006/20061223/html/notice-e.html#i4

References

CHMC 2003. Clean-up Procedures for Mold in Houses. Revised

ed. Ottawa: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. ISBN:

0-660-19227-6.

Chung, Y. J., Coates, N. H., Viana, M. E., Copeland, L.,

Vesper, S. J., Selgrade, M. K., Ward, M. D. W. 2005. Dose-dependent

allergic responses to an extract of Penicillium chrysogenum in BALB/c

mice. Toxicology 209: 77-89.

d'Halewyn, M. A., Leclerc, J. M., King, N., Bélanger, M.,

Legris, M. and Frenette, Y., 2002. Les risques à la santé associés à la

présence de moisissures en milieu intérieur. Québec : Institut

national de santé publique du Québec. 105 p. + appendices.

Health Canada 1995. Fungal Contamination in

Public Buildings: a Guide to Recognition and Management. Ottawa:

Health Canada.

Health Canada 2004. Fungal Contamination in Public Buildings:

Health Effects and Investigation Methods. Ottawa: Health Canada.

ISBN 0-662-37432-0. 47 p.

Jaakkola, J. J. K., Hwang, B. F., Jaakkola, N. 2005. Home

dampness and molds, parental atopy, and asthma in childhood: a

six-year population-based cohort study. Environmental Health

Perspectives. 113: 357-361.

Rand, T. G., Giles, S., Flemming, J., , J. D.,

Puniani, E. 2005. Inflammatory and cytotoxic responses in mouse lungs

exposed to purified toxins from building isolated Penicillium

brevicompactum Dierckx and P. chrysogenum Thom.

Toxicological Sciences 87: 213-222.

Wickman, M., Melen, E., Berglind, N., Lennart Nordvall, S.,

Almqvist, C., Kull, I., Svartengren, M., Pershagen, G. 2003.

Strategies for preventing wheezing and asthma in small children.

Allergy 58: 742-747.

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