Protestors Voice Anger Over NYC Mold, Rodents Apartment Conditions Trigger Child

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Protestors Voice Anger Over NYC Mold, Rodents

Apartment Conditions Trigger Childrens' Asthma

WCBS-TV New York*

Reporting

Hsu

http://wcbstv.com/local/nyc.mold.asthma.2.490387.html

NEW YORK (CBS) ¯ In New York City, there are more than 300,000

reported asthmatic children, and there are certain everyday factors

that are triggering flare-ups. Protestors hit the streets Tuesday,

demanding the city help families rid their apartments of these

triggers.

" This is actually where I sleep, but I have to stop sleeping here,

because every time I go to sleep, I feel like I'm suffocating and I

just can't breathe, " Espinal told CBS 2.

Espinal, 14, blamed a water leak in her ceiling for the mold that

has grown in the insulation. Mold triggers 's asthma, and as

a result, she's already missed 8 days of school this year. She fears

it's only going to get worse.

" I don't want to end up in the hospital, and I don't want my mom to

end up in the hospital either, and my sister just developed asthma,

that's serious, " said the 14-year-old.

is not the only one being affected by mold. Protestors wore

masks, saying " We can't breathe, " as part of a protest in front of

the Department of Health, by the advocacy group " Make The Road New

York, " out of Bushwick, Brooklyn.

Exposure to dust, mold, mildew, rodent infestation, bedbugs,

cockroaches, and pesticides is exacerbated by poor housing

conditions rampant in New York City.

The group wants the DOH to amend the health code, to specify asthma

triggers such as rodents, roaches and mold as health hazards.

As of now, it's not considered a health code violation unless

there's 25 square feet of mold, but protestors want to knock that

requirement down to 5-10 square feet of mold.

" Mice, roaches and rats are the other main triggers of asthma, and

those aren't getting fixed either, " said Goldman of " Make the

Road New York. "

Instead of monthly extermination, they want holes and leaks fixed.

Extermination serves as a controlling method only, instead of

getting at the root of the issue.

The Health Department has answered by saying it has met with the

group and is fully aware of its concerns. However, there is not

sufficient scientific consensus to justify the specific policies the

group is demanding.

This response is upsetting to protestors and members of " Make the

Road New York. "

" Asthma is the number 1 cause of missed school days in New York

City, yet this is not a priority for the health department, " said

Irene Tung, who's pushing for greater action by the Health

Department.

Tung also said of the Health Department that they have it within

their jurisdiction to rid apartments of mold as a health concern,

yet they choose not to.

" The Health Department was able to rid New York City of transfat, so

why not mold in apartments? "