Sick Building Syndrome: Floods, Mold, Cancer, and the Politics of Public Health

[Guest guest]

Published on Monday, March 30, 2009 by _CommonDreams.org_

(http://www.commondreams.org/)

Sick Building Syndrome: Floods, Mold, Cancer, and the Politics of Public

Health

by Ritt Goldstein

It's spring, and flooding is again making headlines, although the 'sick

building' and mold dangers following in flooding's wake are becoming better

appreciated. But disturbingly highlighting the imperatives of such awareness,

recently published research has - for the first time - shown the high cost of

what the sickness that comes of 'sick buildings' can mean, with the potential

for long-lasting disability now being a documented fact.

According to a ground breaking Swedish study appearing in The International

Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 45% of so-called 'Sick

Building Syndrome' (SBS) victims - treated at hospital clinics - no longer have

the capacity to work. Twenty percent of these sufferers are receiving

disability pensions, 25% are " on the sick-list " . Emphasizing SBS's devastating

potential, the study warned that the possibilitiy " of having no work

capabilities

at follow up was significantly increased if the time from (SBS) onset to first

visit at the hospital clinic was more than 1 year. This risk was also

significantly higher if the patient at the first visit had five or more

symptoms. "

It's unfortunate that knowledge of the serious nature of SBS has not emerged

sooner. But, as highlighted by the US Department of Veteran's Affairs during

last Fall's revelations upon Gulf War Illness, sometimes political and

economic considerations affect health policy, leading to a serious health issue

long being " denied " or " trivialized " .

‘Sick Building Syndrome' (more precisely termed ‘non-specific

building-related illness') is typically a product of breathing indoor-air

contaminated by

mold and/or chemical toxins. Things such as flooding, or poor building

contruction, design, or ventilation, can bring on the problem.

SBS's symptoms have been known to include: mucus-membrane irritation,

neurotoxic effects, respiratory symptoms, skin symptoms, gastrointestinal

complaints, and chemosensory changes. And while the malady has been increasingly

seen

since the 1970's, when energy concerns led to the reduction of indoor

ventilation by as much as two thirds, the Swedish study is thought to be the

first

where the problem has been demonstrated as a chronic condition sparked by

environmental causes.

The study was performed by scientists at the Academic Hospital of the

University of Umeå, in Northern Sweden, and was based upon locally derived

data.

But while differences in disability laws and culture may exist between any two

nations, as the study strongly observed: " symptoms aggravated by environmental

factors exist within this group of patients " .

Providing an interesting parallel, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina the

New Orleans area saw the phenomenon of ‘Katrina Cough' occur; a phenomenon

marked by a number of SBS symptoms. Though Louisiana health authorities have

been dismissive of the ‘Cough', at present Tullane University School of

Medicine has received funding for a five-year study, Tullane's newspaper

headlining:

" Researcher Seeks Truth About ‘Katrina Cough' " .

Unfortunately, even problems more serious than SBS can occur through mold,

the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) website explicitly warning that

the inhalation of mycotoxins (toxins naturally occurring in some species of

molds) has been reported to cause maladies that include cancer. Illustrating

what this can mean, recent Swedish headlines shocked the Scandinavian

Peninsula with news of just such a cancer outbreak.

Strömbackaskola, a high school in the Northern city of Piteå, was the scene

of the cancer cluster. In the worst affected area, about 40% of the employees

have been stricken with the disease, with the local paper headlining " The

mold in the school is cancer causing " , a national headline reading " Mold in

school gives teachers cancer " .

Though the cancer cases began appearing years ago, and its cause was earlier

investigated, it was only recently that ‘toxic black mold', Stachybotrys, was

found in the affected areas.

Perhaps even more disturbing, while some claim tragedies like this are

unforeseeable, others see them born of a misguided defense of past mistakes,

with

indifference, and even occasional tactics of intimidation, nurturing tragedy.

No land is immune to the temptations of politics and economics...and no land

is immune to cancer.

As early as 1999, findings of an association between inhaled mycotoxins (such

as aflatoxin) and cancer were reported by the National Institute for

Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), their study noting: " Several studies

have

provided evidence for the association of cancer in humans with inhalation of

aflatoxin contaminated dust, e.g., lung cancer or colon cancer...elevated

risks for liver cancer and cancers of biliary tract " . Similar to the EPA, the

NIOSH study further warned: " Diseases associated with inhalation of fungal

spores include toxic pneumonitis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, tremors, chronic

fatigue syndrome, kidney failure, and cancer. "

It is regrettable that one can only speculate upon what the true incidence of

mold-related cancer, and other mycotoxin-related illness, may be, both in

the US and abroad.

While an American, I live in Sweden and have for the last twelve years.

Perhaps because Sweden isn't a large nation, Swede's social activism, their

relationship with their government, communities, and each other, is considerably

stronger than that I once knew. But, despite this...

In an article published this summer upon Sweden's ‘sick schools' - in

Scandinavia's largest daily, Aftonbladet - I had emphasized that mold can indeed

cause maladies ranging from asthma to cancer. But as early as 1997, Stockholm's

papers were already broaching questions of 'sick building' related cancers,

questions which seem to have been ignored.

At that time, Swedish toxicologist Tony Kronevi was widely quoted as warning

of a potential " cancer explosion " resulting from " sick buildings in Sweden " .

He specifically warned of problems with " sick schools " , urging that people

take " this problem seriously. Now. "

It's unfortunate that, despite such warnings, this past summer a Swedish

government report revealed that those at the national level had yet to take sick

schools " seriously. " Just months later, in December, news of the cancer

cluster broke.

Was this an instance of political and economic considerations affecting

health policy? Was a serious health threat long " denied " or " trivialized " ?

Further highlighting what some here have termed ‘indifference', Swedish

parliamentarian Jan Lindholm (Green Party) observed that, for him, it's " totally

inconceivable that the government shows no interest in finding out how over 20

people in a workplace (Strömbackaskola) came to be smitten by cancer " . He

added, " this Government is the landlord's government. "

Approximately a week before news of Strömbackaskola's cancer outbreak broke,

the Swedish Minister for Public Health told Swedish National Radio that she

believed the link between poor indoor air and poor health was too weak to act

upon.

Reflecting the Minister's position, Sweden's governmental websites lack the

kind of mold and ‘sick building' warnings provided by entities such as the EPA

and NIOSH, despite the recent SBS findings from Umeå and similar

pronouncements from other scientists. Given this, it's particularly unfortunate

that the

very young are those most at risk from indoor air problems.

Last Fall I interviewed one of America's leading authorities on mold - Dr.

Dorr Dearborn, Chairman of the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Dearborn came to national

attention in 1997, The New York Times headlining " Infants' Lung Bleeding

Traced to Toxic Mold " , a revelation he was instrumental in bringing forward.

Though his findings and those of his equally courageous colleague, Ruth Etzel,

became the subject of considerable debate, the EPA's " Children's Health

Initiative on Toxic Mold " continues to warn: " A cluster of cases of acute

pulmonary

hemorrhage/hemosiderosis was reported in Cleveland, Ohio, where 27 infants

from homes that suffered flood damage became sick (nine deaths) with the

illness starting in January 1993. "

In the interim since his and Dr. Etzel's findings, animal studies continue to

provide ever added confirmation of their conclusions upon toxic mold's

dangers.

During the course of my interview with Dearborn, I asked what had occurred

that took the momentum from the ‘sick building' and mold reforms which many

then saw on the horizon. Emphasizing he could just speculate upon what factors

had earlier impacted America's ‘mold debate', Dearborn spoke of " pressure

from

industrial sources - insurance companies, etc - to ‘back off' this problem. "

In Sweden, people have spoken of the " gigantic costs " which addressing ‘sick

buildings' would entail, and this has led many to rationalize away inaction

accordingly. Of course, the costs of the widespread illnesses and property

damage associated with ‘sick buildings' is thought to be even more

substantive,

though, far less visible and borne mainly by individuals, not business or

government.

I won't point out that discussion of isolated cancer cases associated with

sick buildings has barely begun here. Nor will I speculate upon the fate of

those living in places like Herrgården, a large housing complex in Sweden's

southern city of Malmö's Rosengård area, where - contrary to the Country's

‘

squeaky clean' image - recent news stories revealed that half of the apartments

are mold infested.

An interview with a number of Rosengård's healthcare workers recently

appeared in local media. The ongoing tragedy they described isn't pretty.

Within the last twelve months, this nation of nine million has had at least

three major residential housing scandals, each involving large numbers of

families. And while roach infested slums have sadly now come to Sweden, two of

the three scandals involved upscale developments - one was a community of

villas on the Country's west coast, the other was waterside condos in

Stockholm.

Of course, in the US, comedic icon Ed McMahon won a $7 million dollar

judgment following his Beverly Hills home's mold problems. But just this March,

the

TV news program ‘Inside Edition' ran a story titled: " Did Mold Cause Ed

McMahon's Life-Threatening Cancer? "

In Sweden, the widespread failure to adequately enforce safe-housing laws has

been described as an ‘open secret'. In The States, the phrase ‘managed

debate' is used to describe the process through which better regulation of

‘sick

buildings' and mold is kept from even becoming law.

Both circumstances have a cost, and public health has paid dearly. Is

Sweden's mold-associated cancer unique, or rather, is it unique only in that

this

instance of mold-associated cancer was so large that it could not be

rationalized away, dismissed and ignored?

In a November article of mine - which was also published in Aftonbladet - I

compared Sweden's ‘sick building' scandal to that of China's melamine. Both

scandals are the product of what have been described as ‘open secrets', but

according to a 2003 Swedish survey, sick buildings are sickening a vastly higher

population percentage than melamine did.

While our globe is currently witnessing the havoc which lax regulation and

unconscionable behavior meant for the financial markets, is this but one

indicator of something ‘deeper'? America's ongoing prescription drug and food

scandals, China's melamine, and Sweden's ‘sick building' scandal - all suggest

that our ‘crisis' may be considerably broader than merely one of finance.

History has long demonstrated the high price of blind, ruthless ambition, a

price which our world has perhaps only begun to realize it is now paying.

Quoting Swedish parliamentarian Jan Lindholm, " totally inconceivable " well

describes present circumstances.

We have a problem, a bad problem, and it has its causes. In example, Kronevi

told me of a Swedish book he participated in on building issues, a book which

might have started vigorous ‘sick building' debate years ago. He also

provided copies of correspondence highlighting how the text had been

effectively

suppressed.

Of course, a passage from that book noted that a number of Swedish cities,

" have noticed an unusually high number of cancer cases connected to SBS

symptoms " , with other passages equally interesting. What is also ‘interesting'

are

others who have described abuses of power, the efforts to stifle critical

voices.

In 2004 I interviewed a number of leading US scientific figures, doing so

while writing an exposé series on the drug industry. One article,

" Intimidation,

Politics and Drug Industry Cripple U.S. Medicine " , contained several

interviews worth revisiting.

Kathleen Rest, executive director of the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS)

- whose membership is comprised of much of the cream of America's scientific

community, including a number of Nobel laureates - told me of a " pattern " , a

pattern of " politicizing or manipulating scientific advisory boards. " She

also noted the UCS had found " evidence and cases of agencies manipulating or

suppressing scientific analysis. "

Dr. J. Graham, the courageous Associate Safety Director of the US Food

and Drug Administration (FDA), separately added that " intimidation of

scientists who threaten the status quo at FDA is routine. "

It was just this summer when a Swedish environmental researcher - who spoke

only under condition of anonymity - told me that challenging the Swedish

status quo on ‘sick building' issues was almost like challenging the mafia.

Other

Swedes, from different perspectives, have spoken similarly. Leif KÃ¥vestad - a

former environmental inspector who received a personal award from the then

Swedish Prime Minister, Göran Persson - is one of these.

Both KÃ¥vestad and the researcher indeed described efforts aimed at

intimidation, efforts sometimes undertaken by those pursuing self-serving

denials of

Swedish indoor-environment problems.

On a local level, KÃ¥vestad spoke of how " community Health Departments often

cooperate with the community housing companies and their consultants. Tenants

which complain over sick buildings with health complaints are

threatened...the parties together act like a mafia against the tenants. " And

while speaking

generally, he added he's aware of this pattern at some of Stockholm's ‘sick

buildings', and as an ombud has just taken the question before the

Environmental Court.

There is good reason to believe that such circumstances are not limited to

Sweden.

An SBS victim myself, I have just filed a civil suit against my landlord,

Kopparstaden, a housing firm within the Swedish county of Dalarna. In 2007, my

community's health department declared the apartment Kopparstaden had recently

rented me to be uninhabitable.

To this day, my health remains shattered - I suffer a particularly nasty form

of SBS.

When I arrived here, as a newcomer to the community, the local ‘Integration

Authority' had offered me the flat. Though it had an unusual odor from the

first time I saw it, I was told the odor would ‘disappear' when I used the

plumbing.

When I asked to see other apartments, I was told by the Integration Authority

that the apartment was ‘fine', that there were no others, and, if I didn't

accept it, I wouldn't be offered another and would likely not find any

apartment on my own. Given the circumstances, and that I had no reason to then

disbelieve the assurances I was given, I took the flat accordingly.

Later, laboratory analysis revealed " powerfully elevated " mold levels and

" unusually high levels " of chemical toxins - such as chloroform - were in every

breath I took. According to my physicians, virtually all of my belongings

must be disposed of because of contamination, and my insurance policy - as with

most insurance policies today - does not cover this kind of claim. However,

Kopparstaden's only compensation offer for my ruined property and shattered

health was about $1,000. I refused it.

It is difficult for me to reconcile the many instances I've witnessed

demonstrating Swedish society's honesty and integrity with the circumstances I

describe.

While the US civil court system has awarded a number of ‘sick building' and

mold sufferers millions of dollars in damages, such things do not exist in

this country - there are no punitive damages in this legal system, court awards

are ‘minimal'. And, despite such circumstances accentuating the need for

robust enforcement of safe housing laws, the opposite appears to have occurred.

But, this does well illustrate how the costs of ‘sick buildings' - though

extremely substantive - are today borne mainly by individuals, not the

businesses

which provide ‘sick' properties, nor the governmental entities which allow

them to continue doing so.

Is today's ‘crisis' far broader than merely finance? Has Public Health been

sacrificed for political and economic motives?

While many have indeed called the widespread compromising and failure of

regulatory authorities an ‘open secret', perhaps ‘national catastrophe' may

well prove itself a far better term.

--Ritt Goldstein

Copyright March 2009

All Rights Reserved

**************Worried about job security? Check out the 5 safest jobs in a

recession.

(http://jobs.aol.com/gallery/growing-job-industries?ncid=emlcntuscare00000003)