Harriet Burge on Mold Woes

[Guest guest]

http://starbulletin.com/2002/08/17/business/index1.html

Saturday, August 17, 2002

National expert shares insights on mold woes

By Lyn Danninger

ldanninger@...

While mold contamination issues have only recently made headlines in Hawaii,

on the mainland, they have been a hot topic for some time.

Yesterday, 250 local property managers, real estate agents, architects,

builders and others paid to attend " Mold University, " a seminar on the legal

and public health implications of the growing issue.

" Generally, as soon as mold is perceptible, it's a problem, or if it's

invisible and you get a lot of complaints, " said Dr. Harriet Burge, a

nationally recognized indoor air quality expert from the Harvard School of

Public Health.

But it's difficult to predict when mold will cause problems, she said.

" Levels depend on many different variables, so that's why it's so difficult

to deal with, " Burge said.

Record keeping is important in preventing future problems, she said.

" You have no idea what is abnormal unless you have been keeping track and

doing long-term monitoring over a couple of years, " she said. " You can then

take an (air quality) level and determine whether it's good or bad. "

Randy Herold, president of Kailua-based Mold Pro International, said mold

continues to attract public attention.

" It's new, emotional and has attracted a lot of media coverage, " said

Herold, whose company investigates indoor air quality.

Fueling the fire is a spate of consumer legal actions, including lawsuits

brought by high-profile individuals, such as activist Brockovich and

entertainer Ed McMahon.

Different decisions from courts across the nation about mold have added to

the confusion. There is also almost no regulation in terms of what is

required in testing for mold, remediating it, and who can provide the

services, he said.

So virtually anyone can say they are a mold expert, Herold said.

Individual states have passed or are working on a variety of mold-related

legislation -- all of it different. California has perhaps the most

far-reaching legislation, he said.

" Some of the things in it are OK, some are onerous, " Herold said.

Congress is also looking at its own proposed mold-related legislation,

called the U.S. Toxic Mold Safety and Protection Act.

Even the medical community has its share of disagreements, he said.

" In the end, it's tough to know who to believe, " Herold said.

In real estate transactions, more people are now asking for mold reports.

Eventually it will become standard, just as termite reports are required

now, he said.

He predicts that if industry does not act on the issue, politicians,

responding to public outcry, will pass legislation that could make things

worse.

" I think a lot of it will be bad because we are going too fast and right

now, there isn't enough research, " he said.

Instead, Herold advocates establishing assessment and remedial standards as

well as a certification for mold specialists.

[Guest guest]

For those unaware, Dr. Harriet of Harvard was appointed to be the

Chair for the National Institute of Health study of Toxic Mold by

President Bush. She was also quoted, I understand, in a Canada Trial

as saying that Mold is NO BIG DEAL. I guess we know what results

President Bush wants from the study. He can't let his insurance

friends pay for Mold damage. The Texas taxpayers paid when he was

Texas Governor. Amazing what campaign contributions can buy.

Ken Moulton

> http://starbulletin.com/2002/08/17/business/index1.html

>

> Saturday, August 17, 2002

> National expert shares insights on mold woes

> By Lyn Danninger

> ldanninger@s...

>

> While mold contamination issues have only recently made headlines

in Hawaii,

> on the mainland, they have been a hot topic for some time.

>

> Yesterday, 250 local property managers, real estate agents,

architects,

> builders and others paid to attend " Mold University, " a seminar on

the legal

> and public health implications of the growing issue.

>

> " Generally, as soon as mold is perceptible, it's a problem, or if

it's

> invisible and you get a lot of complaints, " said Dr. Harriet Burge,

a

> nationally recognized indoor air quality expert from the Harvard

School of

> Public Health.

>

> But it's difficult to predict when mold will cause problems, she

said.

>

> " Levels depend on many different variables, so that's why it's so

difficult

> to deal with, " Burge said.

>

> Record keeping is important in preventing future problems, she said.

>

> " You have no idea what is abnormal unless you have been keeping

track and

> doing long-term monitoring over a couple of years, " she said. " You

can then

> take an (air quality) level and determine whether it's good or bad. "

>

> Randy Herold, president of Kailua-based Mold Pro International,

said mold

> continues to attract public attention.

>

> " It's new, emotional and has attracted a lot of media coverage, "

said

> Herold, whose company investigates indoor air quality.

>

> Fueling the fire is a spate of consumer legal actions, including

lawsuits

> brought by high-profile individuals, such as activist

Brockovich and

> entertainer Ed McMahon.

>

> Different decisions from courts across the nation about mold have

added to

> the confusion. There is also almost no regulation in terms of what

is

> required in testing for mold, remediating it, and who can provide

the

> services, he said.

>

> So virtually anyone can say they are a mold expert, Herold said.

>

> Individual states have passed or are working on a variety of mold-

related

> legislation -- all of it different. California has perhaps the most

> far-reaching legislation, he said.

>

> " Some of the things in it are OK, some are onerous, " Herold said.

>

> Congress is also looking at its own proposed mold-related

legislation,

> called the U.S. Toxic Mold Safety and Protection Act.

>

> Even the medical community has its share of disagreements, he said.

>

> " In the end, it's tough to know who to believe, " Herold said.

>

> In real estate transactions, more people are now asking for mold

reports.

> Eventually it will become standard, just as termite reports are

required

> now, he said.

>

> He predicts that if industry does not act on the issue, politicians,

> responding to public outcry, will pass legislation that could make

things

> worse.

>

> " I think a lot of it will be bad because we are going too fast and

right

> now, there isn't enough research, " he said.

>

> Instead, Herold advocates establishing assessment and remedial

standards as

> well as a certification for mold specialists.