Mould risks hit home

August 24, 2002

oryID=2349949 & reportID=562587

17.08.2002

Is mould the new asbestos? A leading British insurance broker has warned

that toxic mould has led to a growing number of claims in the United States

and the problem is beginning to become apparent in Britain.

A Weekend Herald investigation in April revealed that New Zealand's growing

leaky building problem has caused a big increase in dangerous mould in damp

homes.

" Toxic mould syndrome " has led to an American court award of US$32 million

($69 million) to Texas resident Melinda Ballard after her insurer failed to

recognise the problem or realise its policy covered mould.

The US insurance industry is braced for billions of dollars of claims.

The problem is caused by dampness, which allows certain toxic varieties of

mould to grow in buildings. Combined with modern building materials, the

mould can lead to serious respiratory problems and, according to one claim,

even deafness.

Buildings with extensive mould have had to be demolished.

British brokers Jardine Lloyd said insurers, landlords, developers

and makers of building materials needed to be aware of the dangers in order

to prevent conditions where the mould flourished.

lin, technical director at JLT, said: " Asbestos started off very

slowly and no one took it seriously. Then the problems started to become

apparent. The fear is that mould could be very similar. "

At least 12 types of fungi are recognised as being harmful, including

stachbotrys (which is becoming more common in New Zealand) and fusarium.

Mould feeds on organic materials such as carpet, wood and wallpaper and eats

into plaster and brickwork, which then have to be replaced.

Yuppie-style warehouse conversions are particularly susceptible because they

are old buildings that have never before been heated.

Conversion to flats, with central heating and partitions put in, creates the

ideal breeding conditions for mould. The sudden heating draws moisture out

of the building's structure.

- INDEPENDENT, staff reporter

nzherald.co.nz/property

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