Allergenic fungi found at W.B. Town Hall

[Guest guest]

Allergenic fungi found at W.B. Town Hall

Brockton Enterprise - MA*

By Mike Melanson,

Enterprise correspondent

http://enterprise.southofboston.com/articles/2007/10/05/news/news/new

s18.txt

WEST BRIDGEWATER— There's something fungi in the air in Town Hall.

According to lift tape lab results obtained by the Board of Health,

spores of allergenic fungi are present in borderline amounts in the

health board's first-floor office.

Board Chairman Cruz called for the tests in September after a

complaint of allergic reactions to a musty odor coming from an old

vault near the Board of Health office.

About six months ago, the town started relocating records from the

vault, a moist and moldy place, to a new vault that was built as

part of an addition to the Town Hall, built in the 1890s.

The fungi are not toxic or dangerous, are common in old houses and

can cause allergic responses in those who are sensitive to the

spores, he said.

Cruz said he instructed a company that is cleaning the Town Hall

following last Friday's fire to pay special attention to the health

board office and old vault.

The company has circulated the air in Town Hall as part of its

cleanup efforts, and that seems to have made things better, he said.

The health board also asked Building Inspector Stringham, who

is in charge of the building, to consider not using carpets to

replace worn carpeting in the health board office as part of ongoing

renovations to the first floor.

According to lab results furnished by Michigan lab Integrated

Microbiological Services, a borderline amount of the Penicillium and

Aspergillus spores were present in the Board of Health office.

Health Agent Casper, who collected lift tape samples in the

vault, basement and health board offices, said the spores collected

are considered to be allergenic.

The IMS results also indicated medium to high amounts of dust and

debris in all of the sample areas and borderline amounts of

allergenic Cladosporium fungi in the basement.

[Guest guest]

This is interesting because in this case, the health board are the 'tenants'

and they are testing their own offices.

I hope they get resolution.

Did anyone else laugh at this?

> 'The company has circulated the air in Town Hall as part of its

cleanup efforts, and that seems to have made things better, he said.'

My first thought was 'if circulating it once makes it better, why not do it

a few times more'?

LOL...