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Please note: Use of this page indicates you have read and agreed with our disclaimer.
Mold Remediation is sometimes also called mitigation or abatement, "involving the physical removal of the infested medium, such as sheetrock, or scraping mold from wood studs and the removal of contaminated material safely from the premises". (Mold Matters, Dobbs, 2006).
If hidden or visible mold has colonized any part of the school building, established through visual inspection and/or mold testing, The Center for School Mold Help offers these links to assist in your remediation planning. Experts strongly encourage schools to utilize highly trained, experienced mold remediation professionals and to have consultation and testing with non-related firms that have an excellent set of credentials, references and experience. Experts recommend that these be separate from the mold remediators to be used, and this is the law in some states, such as Texas.
It is important to understand that in most of the 50 United States, this industry is, as yet, unregulated and with no government standards for mold tolerance or clearance levels. We offer, on our Products page below, several books that cover the world mold standards, from countries that have established these, and a mold remediation clearance testing guide that you may find helpful. The Center for School Mold Help recommends that all practices followed have a strong basis in science-based research, much of which is available on our Research page.
Due to current lack of regulations, some mold contractors may suggest treatments that have no scientific basis for working - such as sealing over mold with paint or use of so-called fungicides, which may actually consist of more toxic substances, such as pesticides, which may injure the occupants further and may not prevent the regrowth of mold. There is, as yet, no "magic bullet" to spray on mold and kill it so that it does not grow back. Further, even dead mold spores are allergenic and will retain their toxins, which are chemicals, so killing the mold is not the answer. In fact, it may disturb the colony and spread it.
All reliable protocols for mold removal, that are science-based and reputable, involve use of the Precautionary Principle and the following:
- removal of the source of moisture and
- protection of the occupants and building (through sealing off and closure of the entire space, through prescribed containment, as with asbestos removal) and
- removal of all of the mold-infested building materials and porous contents, without disturbing the colonies, and
- the use of negative air and air scrubbers to clean the air inside the contained space, with
- careful, prescribed removal and/or
- cleaning of the nonporous materials inside the contaminated area is also be carried out, according to industry standards, so cross-contamination does not occur.
- take care not to recontaminate the clean areas by bringing in contaminated materials made of cellulose (paper, books) that were present in the moldy rooms.
There are various stringent industry protocols for these techniques that must be followed, in buildings considered to be candidates for remediation, in order to eliminate the molds and mycotoxins within.
School districts that use untrained workers or volunteers as mold remediators (such as custodians, aides, other school staff, students, or parents) are setting the stage for potential increased levels of serious illness, or even death, for those workers and the school occupants, and ultimate potential loss of the building, which can become so contaminated it is no longer salvageable.
It is not acceptable to leave occupants in the moldy area while waiting for the next vacation or till the money can be found to conduct the necessary work. Remove the occupants to a healthy classroom space (not the materials) and close off the area until it can be remediated.
It is NEVER acceptable to expose students or school staff to potentially moldy materials or parts of the building, once mold has been suspected or identified in a school. It is NEVER acceptable to expose students or staff during remediation or afterward, without strict and thorough clearance testing.
Information from resources listed below are provided for educational purposes only, and may only be utilized in agreement with our Disclaimer.
Lastly, it must be said that, sadly, the United States government has not updated its mold materials based on current research and knowledge regarding mold. Most of their information is about five years old and does not recognize the importance of exposure to toxins vs. allergens, even though this has been described extensively in the Institute of Medicine Damp Indoor Spaces and Health report (2004) contracted by the Centers for Disease Control. The materials for the US EPA are the best that exist within our government offerings, and are gradually improving. The US Gov't has developed chemical warfare biologicals based on some mold toxins that are the same as those that can and do occur in schools, since the 1980's.
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