St. Tammany site for toxic mold program

May 15, 2002

COVINGTON -- St. Tammany Parish has been chosen as the target of a pilot

program for the prevention, remediation and control of toxic mold.

" Mold Mania " is very real according to E. Briggs, chairman and CEO

of Prescriptive Environmental Remediation Control. The Louisiana-based

company was formed in 1997 and has invested more than $2 million in

developing its mold master program, working closely with leaders at the

forefront of the field.

A recent seminar was held in Covington to discuss the problem and

remediation of biological pollutants and other elements that impact indoor

air quality.

" The key is prevention, " Briggs said.

On hand to answer questions was Dr. Bob Reimers of the Tulane School of

Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Dr. Henry Bradford, director of the

State of Louisiana Public Health Labs, Valenti, a publisher of

materials on IAQ and other experts.

The company has hired Huey Jr. an industrial hygienist and

remediation specialist, to oversee the St. Tammany operation. was a

consultant at " ground zero " following the devastation of the World Trade

Center in New York City on Sept. 11.

The pilot program is scheduled to begin May 20. The St. Tammany Parish

office will be in Mandeville as a service point for its customers, Briggs

said.

In December, a Quail Creek family was forced to evacuate their home when

notified they and all of their belongings were contaminated with an airborne

strain of toxic black-colored mold known as stachybotrys. Many other cases

of toxic mold have been reported on the Northshore, forcing more families to

vacate their homes.

Currently, homeowner's insurance companies in Louisiana are not mandated to

cover the cost of remediating the problem.

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