Mold connected to illness

[Guest guest]

Published February 14, 2008 12:44 am - Valdosta-Lowndes County

Airport Authority members took measures to step up the investigation

and removal of mold contamination at the airport's general aviation

terminal Wednesday after they heard staff reports and comments from

a key airport employee who needed surgery after exposure.

Mold connected to illness

The Valdosta Daily Times*

BY BILLY BRUCE

http://www.valdostadailytimes.com/local/local_story_045004430.html

VALDOSTA — Valdosta-Lowndes County Airport Authority members took

measures to step up the investigation and removal of mold

contamination at the airport's general aviation terminal Wednesday

after they heard staff reports and comments from a key airport

employee who needed surgery after exposure.

, manager of Valdosta Flying Service, the airport's fixed

base operator that keeps offices in the general aviation building at

2626 Madison Highway, told authority members at the board's

Wednesday morning regular session that he required lung surgery to

treat an infection from exposure to aspergillus, a form of airborne

mold.

Aspergillus species are highly aerobic and are found in almost all

oxygen-rich environments, where they commonly grow as molds on the

surface of a substrate, as a result of the high oxygen tension. Some

Aspergillus species cause serious disease in humans and animals, and

can be pathogenic, according to www.aspergillus.org.

said he spent six days in the hospital, is not yet back to

full-time work, and is working in temporary quarters near the

general aviation building to avoid further exposure, on doctor's

orders.

Authority Chairman Joe Prater and Airport Manager Bob Holliway

discussed several steps that have been taken to remove the mold, but

authority members also suggested other measures that will be taken.

The general aviation terminal was built in the 1940s. Its roof has

been know to leak on occasion and its heating and air conditioning

system (HVAC) has been replaced before, airport officials said.

Prater said a heating and air conditioning expert inspected the

building and determined there was no mold in the HVAC system. Air

samples also turned up no mold. The expert suggested several steps

to ensure that the mold doesn't recur, including removal of rubble

in a few rooms, removal of old ceiling tiles that may have mold from

roof leaks, installation of high efficiency air filters to resolve

moisture and residue problems, and removal of all ceiling tiles in

the lobby and office areas.

Holliway said the rubble has been removed, the old ceiling tiles in

some areas have been removed, and the ceiling tiles in the lobby

area and offices will be removed as soon as possible, once the new

tiles are received.

Also, the carpet will be removed and replaced with new floor tiles,

and an air opening was installed above 's office window so air

can flow and not get stale, he said.

" We've done everything on the list that he suggested, " Holliway said.

was appreciative, but not fully satisfied.

" I thank you for acting as quickly as you have, " said. " But

there is still mold coming out. It comes out on my desk. It's

probably not so bad because we're in the dryer winter period, but it

will get worse in the more humid summer period. "

said he had an HVAC expert do an inspection, and he found

some " fuzzy stuff " and moisture. " It's not quite as dramatic as he

suggested " in his report, said.

Holliway said some of the mold spores came in from the outside. He

said the expert he worked with said not to have a duct cleaning

service clean the ducts because it could make the problem worse.

Authority member Rob suggested having two separate,

independent HVAC engineers inspect the building's air handling

systems to determine if the tonnage capacity is too strong for the

terminal building.

" If the unit is over-sized, it won't operate at a correct speed. We

don't want to chase our tail and clean something if the mold is only

going to return when the humid season comes, " said.

Prater agreed to ' suggestion and said he looked forward to the

day when the airport could tear down the old general aviation

terminal and replace it with a brand new facility.

That won't occur until the authority has FAA approval and money to

pay for relocation of the airport's existing control tower and money

to build the new terminal.

" Even if we had a dump truck full of money left out there, it will

still be two years before we get a new building, " Prater said.