Re: Your house can make you sick. You may be exposed to dange...

[Guest guest]

,

I though the same thing. Sent them an email.

Sharon K.

To the Editor,

It is commendable that Money Magazine is sending out the message about

toxins that are sometimes found in the indoor air causing illness. However, the

article, " Your house can make you sick - Jan. 6, 2009 " understated the

potential health hazards caused by the toxins of mold and other microbial

contaminants that are found in water damaged homes. With all the recent

flooding in

various parts of the US, it is important that the public not be mislead about

the potential for a serious health hazard.

At the request of Senator Kennedy, the Federal Government

Accountability Office (GAO) performed a two year audit into the issue. The

final report

was issued, September 30, 2008. The report is entitled, " Indoor Mold: Better

Coordination of Research on Health Effects and More Consistent Guidance

Would Improve Federal Efforts " . It may be read in its entirety at

http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-08-980.

The primary gists of the report are that " Recent research suggests that

indoor mold poses a widespread and, for some people, serious health threat " ,

" many of the research activities address data gaps related to asthma and

measurement methods, while other data gaps, such as those related to toxins

produced

by some molds, are being minimally addressed " , " ...guidance issued by the

Consumer Product Safety Commission, EPA, the Federal Emergency Management

Agency, HHS, and HUD cites a variety of health effects of exposure to indoor

mold

but in some cases omits less common but serious effects... " and " As a result,

the public may not be sufficiently advised of indoor mold's potential health

risks. "

As such, it would be appropriate for Money Magazine to correct the

inaccurate warning rated " low " for the toxins of mold. Low risk is not a

scientific

fact according to the Federal government. While the health threat from mold

and its toxins typically only occurs in water damaged buildings, they can

indeed pose very serious health threats for many people. Since the Federal

government is stipulating the need for consistent messaging of the potential

harm

from mold and its toxins, a correction to the Money Magazine article would be

appropriate and of benefit to the public. Thank you again for raising the

awareness of the need for healthy indoor environments.

Sincerely,

Sharon Kramer

(address)

In a message dated 1/7/2009 5:11:21 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,

glypella@... writes:

Excellent article, KC. Of course, mold would have been given higher

priority than it was. Certainly was downplayed. Thanks.

Barth

t> Your house can make you sick

t> You may be exposed to dangerous toxins. Get rid of them without

t> getting ripped off.

t> _http://money.http://money.http://monehttp://moneyhttp://money.<WBh_

(http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/05/real_estate/home_toxins.moneymag/?)

t> postversion= postv

Sharon Noonan Kramer

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