NY and Toxic Mold definition

[Guest guest]

I want to post this as a separate subject. It is direct quotes from the NY State

final report on mold and health. If we could only get everyone to use and follow

this plain, easy to understand definition of mold:

" The (NY State) Task Force members agreed that scientific evidence does not

exist supporting clear distinctions between a category of " toxic mold " species

versus other " non-toxic " mold species or between " toxic mold " health effects and

health effects associated with other molds. Therefore, the remainder of this

report will address all molds as a group, recognizing that there is tremendous

variability among mold species in the way they grow, their etabolism, the

chemicals they produce, how they interact with their environment and their

potential to cause adverse health effects when people are exposed to them. "

The reason:

" ...the law does not define toxic mold or the term toxic. A simple

dictionary definition for toxic as " harmful, destructive, deadly, poisonous " is

appropriate when considering health effects of mold exposures. This broadens the

scope of potential health effects considered by the Task Force beyond effects

that might be associated with certain chemicals produced by molds (known as

mycotoxins) to include adverse effects such as allergic, inflammatory or mucous

membrane irritation responses.

Chemicals produced by molds in buildings that have potential to cause adverse

reactions in building occupants can include protein allergens; complex

carbohydrates such as 1,3beta-D-glucan and extracellular polysaccharides;

volatile organic compounds such as aldehydes, ketones and alcohols; and

non-volatile mycotoxins. Some mix of these different chemicals can be produced

by any type of mold growing in buildings and adverse responses in people exposed

to any of these agents can be considered toxic responses. "

See more at The Final Task Force Report, pg. 21, at

http://www.health. ny.gov/environme ntal/indoors/ air/mold/ task_force/

docs/final_ toxic_mold_ task_force_report.pdf

(http://www.health. ny.gov/environme ntal/indoors/ air/mold/ task_force/

docs/final_ toxic_mold_ task_force_ report.pdf)