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"It's the latest incident involving allegations that CDC's scientific findings on environmental issues are being watered down."
"The very people they're looking to for answers have been censored," [De Rosa] said. (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
One of the foremost reasons that the American public and legislators remain uninformed about the hazards of damp buildings and mold is the reluctance of the United States CDC (Center for Disease Control) to take a strong stance on educating the public about the extensive, existing literature on the topic. The CDC is charged with the protection of the public from and the monitoring of emerging public health threats. Sick Building Syndrome and mold-related illness has not been adequately addressed by the CDC, throughout the five decades since these illnesses emerged, caused by a change to unhealthy building designs and materials that began in the 1950's. As a result, it is estimated that many millions have been sickened, with little recourse for injuries or help from public health agencies, environmental health agencies, the CDC, OSHA, NIOSH, or the medical establishment. This can be directly blamed, ultimately, on the Center for Disease Control's suppression of science and avoidance - which seems to be their modus operandi.
Reading the following articles about how the CDC avoided identifying the illness caused by toxic FEMA trailers and appears to have punished a longtime, head scientist for the CDC division of toxicology and environmental medicine for raising questions about environmental conditions causing cancer provides a glimpse into how the CDC politicizes health threats. This example illustrates how the CDC does NOT protect the public, contrary to what it is charged with doing, which may be considered a betrayal of the public trust.
Under these present circumstances, it is no wonder that so many are falling ill in sick, damp buildings, with no prevention or strategies to address these problems in place.
We have listed CDC's Health Goals, following these articles, with suggestions for action you may take, to ask for an investigation related to the CDC's avoidance and suppression of the public health threat related to our sick school (and other) buildings. (SMH)
UPDATED: 11:53 p.m. February 08, 2008
Click-2-Listen
CDC under investigation over Katrina cancer risk
Congressional committee also looks into whether agency retaliated against scientist
http://www.ajc.com/services/content/news/stories/2008/02/08/cdc_0209.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=15
By ALISON YOUNG
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/09/08
A congressional committee is investigating "disturbing allegations" that officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suppressed critical information about cancer dangers posed by trailers housing Hurricane Katrina victims.
The committee also is looking into whether the Atlanta scientist who sought to make the risks public has been the subject of retaliation by the agency.
GERALD HERBERT/Associated Press
(ENLARGE)
A congressional panel is looking into allegations that a CDC toxicologist who insisted on publicizing the long-term dangers of exposure to formaldehyde in the Katrina trailers was demoted.
READ THE PDF FILES
• Feb. 6 letter from congressional investigators to CDC's Julie Gerberding
• Jan. 28 letter from congressional investigators to CDC's ATSDR
• More Nation/World news
(emphasis by SMH)
In a letter this week to CDC Director Julie Gerberding, committee members warned that they expect her to protect the scientist, Christopher De Rosa.
"The agency's conduct has called into question its ability to investigate public health hazards accurately and appropriately in the future," wrote the chairman and two subcommittee chairmen from the House Committee on Science and Technology in a letter Wednesday to Gerberding.
"Apparently in retaliation, Dr. De Rosa was removed from his post and given a job ... that appears to include no real responsibilities," the letter said.
CDC spokesman Glen Nowak said Friday the agency has not suppressed any science, nor has it retaliated against De Rosa. "The integrity of CDC's science is paramount to everything we do," Nowak said.
De Rosa had been head of the division of toxicology and environmental medicine in CDC's Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry since 1992. He was removed from that job last fall and assigned the title of "special assistant."
Though CDC said De Rosa was simply reassigned, he said in an interview that he's been demoted. De Rosa said the public should be concerned about what's transpired.
"The very people they're looking to for answers have been censored," he said.
At issue is whether the agency intentionally delayed or avoided examining the long-term cancer threat posed by formaldehyde fumes in trailers purchased by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to house victims of the August 2005 hurricane. FEMA initially said air quality in the trailers was safe if they were properly ventilated.
Formaldehyde is a colorless gas with a pungent smell. It is used in the production of plywood and resins. Some studies have linked exposure to formaldehyde with nose and throat cancer.
The committee also is investigating whether CDC abruptly stopped publication of another report involving De Rosa, detailing "disturbing potential health issues" in the Great Lakes region of the U.S., the letter said. The report examined areas with environmental pollution and found elevated levels of certain cancers and other health problems but did not make any cause-and-effect link.
"I want to find out what really happened," said Rep. Brad Miller (D-N.C.), chairman of the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, Friday evening.
It's the latest incident involving allegations that CDC's scientific findings on environmental issues are being watered down.
In October, another committee investigated the White House's involvement in the cutting of nearly seven pages of information about the health consequences of climate change. The deletions were from written testimony Gerberding had planned to give to Congress. Gerberding, however, was adamant she had not been censored.
Nowak said CDC's actions were focused on maintaining high standards of science. He said the Great Lakes report was pulled from publication because parts of it were misleading and didn't meet standards of scientific rigor. The committee is investigating whether agency managers "intentionally circumvented" De Rosa in an initial review of potential dangers associated with the trailers.
FEMA wanted ATSDR to look only at the health effects of short-term formaldehyde exposure -- defined as less than two weeks. Yet many Katrina residents have lived in the trailers for months and years, the committee said in its letter.
De Rosa, the committee's letter said, already had raised questions about the long-term health effects and agency managers knew he would insist the report not be confined to short-term effects. Formaldehyde is a suspected carcinogen that has no safe level set for long-term exposure, the letter said.
"De Rosa was then specifically and consciously excluded in the health assessment," said Miller, referring to information provided to the committee.
Miller said information reviewed by the committee indicates FEMA's requests of CDC were driven by concerns about legal liability, not public health.
FEMA officials declined to be interviewed Friday. But in written statements, they have said the agency didn't ignore, hide or manipulate research. They said the health and safety of hurricane victims was their top priority at all times.
Nowak, the CDC spokesman, said the agency initially focused solely on short-term effects because that's what FEMA asked CDC to look at. But he said the agency later issued a supplemental report with information about long-term health effects.
"Nobody was ignoring the fact that formaldehyde had longer-term health consequences," Nowak said. The agency has been sampling the air quality in more than 500 trailers in Louisiana and Mississippi and is now in the process of analyzing the data.
Congressional investigators, however, said CDC only amended the report to include long-term exposure warnings eight months later -- after De Rosa "persistently demanding" they be included.
De Rosa said Friday that he raised his concerns about formaldehyde, the Great Lakes report and other issues through proper channels within the CDC.
"It's sort of like speaking truth to authority. I knew I was doing it at my peril," he said.
Then, in what investigators said was apparently retaliation, De Rosa was removed from his managerial job and in October given an "unsatisfactory" job performance assessment. Before, De Rosa said, he had received good to excellent ratings.
• To reach reporter Alison Young call 404-526-7372.
More on ajc.com
Science censored at CDC?
CDC: Gulf Coast Trailers Have Toxic Air
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Lawmakers Launch Probe Into Whether CDC Withheld Information About Long-Term Cancer Risks Of FEMA Trailers
Main Category: Public Health
Also Included In: Cancer / Oncology; Aid / Disasters
Article Date: 12 Feb 2008 - 6:00 PST
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/96956.php
In a letter to CDC Director Julie Gerberding on Wednesday, three members of the House Committee on Science and Technology said the panel is launching an investigation into "disturbing allegations" that agency officials withheld vital information about the potential cancer risks associated with trailer housing provided to Gulf Coast residents after Hurricane Katrina, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. The committee also plans to investigate whether CDC retaliated against Atlanta scientist Christopher De Rosa after he sought to make the risks public.
The committee will investigate whether CDC might have intentionally delayed or avoided examining the long-term cancer threat posed by formaldehyde fumes in trailers purchased by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to house residents after the August 2005 hurricane. FEMA originally said that the trailers were safe for use with adequate ventilation.
According to the letter, formaldehyde is a carcinogen that has no safe level set for long-term exposure and has been linked to nose and throat cancers. FEMA officials had asked CDC's Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry to examine the health effects of short-term formaldehyde exposure, defined as less than two weeks, even though many Gulf Coast residents have lived in the trailers for months or years, the Journal-Constitution reports. According to the committee letter, De Rosa had raised questions about the health effects of long-term exposure, and agency managers knew he would insist that the report not focus solely on the short-term effects. De Rosa, who led the division of toxicology and environmental medicine as part of the agency since 1992, said he was demoted from his job in fall 2007 to the position of "special assistant."
The letter said, "The agency's conduct has called into question its ability to investigate public health hazards accurately and appropriately in the future," adding, "Apparently in retaliation, Dr. De Rosa was removed from his post and given a job ... that appears to include no real responsibilities." According to the letter, the investigation also will look into allegations that CDC halted the publication of a separate report involving De Rosa, which indicated "disturbing potential health issues" in the Great Lakes region of the U.S.
CDC spokesperson Glen Nowak on Friday said the agency has not held back any research information or retaliated against De Rosa. Nowak said, "The integrity of CDC's science is paramount to everything we do" (Young, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2/9).
Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation© 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
What You Can Do
NONE of the following health goals are being accomplished by the CDC, with regard to protection of the public from the current educational, health, and economic crisis we are experiencing in America due to unhealthy, damp, moldy buildings - in particular, with regard to damp schools, but also including commercial and residential buildings.
Reading these goals may be very eye-opening and difficult for those who have experienced the devastation of toxic exposures from mold or other known environmental hazards. We encourage you to write the CDC and the House Committee on Science and Technology, to express your thoughts, educate the members about the problem of toxic mold exposure, and ask for a Congressional Hearing related to the CDC's conduct regarding the public health threat caused by damp, sick buildings and mold. Please also note that Rep. Brad Miller (D-N.C.), chairman of the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, is interested in what is really going on in the CDC. The members of the House Committee on Science and Technology from your state are listed at the bottom of this page. (SMH)
CDC Health Protection Goals
From the CDC website http://www.cdc.gov/osi/goals/goals.html
CDC is committed to achieving true improvements in people’s lives by accelerating health impact and reducing health disparities. CDC has created a set of four overarching Health Protection Goals, which are supported by a number of strategic goals and objectives. You may learn more about the goals and objectives by following the links for each main goal area.
Healthy People in Every Stage of Life
All people, and especially those at greater risk of health
disparities, will achieve their optimal lifespan with the best possible
quality of health in every stage of life.
• Infants and Toddlers, ages 0–3: Start Strong
• Children, ages 4–11: Grow Safe and Strong
• Adolescents, ages 12–19: Achieve Healthy Independence
• Adults, ages 20–49: Live a Healthy, Productive, and Satisfying Life
• Older Adults and Seniors, ages 50 and over: Live Better, Longer
Healthy People in Healthy Places
The places where people live, work, learn, and play will protect and
promote their health and safety, especially those people at greater risk
of health disparities.
• Healthy Communities
• Healthy Homes
• Healthy Schools
• Healthy Workplaces
• Healthy Healthcare Settings
• Healthy Institutions
• Healthy Travel and Recreation
People Prepared for Emerging Health Threats
People in all communities will be protected from infectious,
occupational, environmental, and terrorist threats.
Pre-event:
• Increase the use and development of interventions.
• Decrease time needed to classify health events.
• Decrease time needed to detect and report chemical, biological,
and radiological agents.
• Improve the timeliness and accuracy of communications.
Event:
• Decrease time to identify causes, risk factors, and appropriate
interventions.
• Decrease time needed to provide countermeasures and health
guidance.
Post-event:
• Decrease time needed to restore health services and environmental
safety to pre-event levels.
• Improve long-term follow-up provided to those affected by threats.
• Decrease time needed to implement recommendations from afteraction
reports.
Healthy People in a Healthy World
People around the world will live safer, healthier, and longer lives through
• Health Promotion
• Health Protection
• Health Diplomacy
Health Protection Goals
For more information on the goals, visit: http://www.cdc.gov/goals or http://intranet.cdc.gov/goals
The following was taken from the CDC website on Feb. 14, 2008
From the CDC's Website re: Mold
http://www.cdc.gov/health/mold.html
Molds are fungi that are found virtually everywhere, indoors and outdoors. Mold can cause or worsen certain illnesses (e.g., some allergic and occupation-related diseases and infections in health care settings). No conclusive evidence exists, however, to associate mold exposure with a multitude of other health problems, such as pulmonary hemorrhage or memory loss. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducts and supports activities to investigate the effect of mold on human health, to assist states in responding to concerns about mold, and to investigate concerns of employees and employers.
General Information About Mold
Protect Yourself from Mold
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/mold/protect.asp
This written for hurricane and flooding issues and mold.
Mold: Environmental Hazards & Health Effects
http://www.cdc.gov/mold/default.htm
Provides basic facts about mold, cleanup and remediation, more...
NCEH › Mold › General Information › Facts about Mold and Dampness
FACTS ABOUT MOLD AND DAMPNESS
PDF [79 Kb] | Español
Mold and Your Health
Mold and Your Home
You Can Control Mold
Mold Prevention Tips
There is always some mold everywhere - in the air and on many surfaces. Molds have been on the Earth for millions of years. Mold grows where there is moisture.
Mold and Your Health
Exposure to damp and moldy environments may cause a variety of health effects, or none at all. Some people are sensitive to molds. For these people, molds can cause nasal stuffiness, throat irritation, coughing or wheezing, eye irritation, or, in some cases, skin irritation. People with mold allergies may have more severe reactions. Immune-compromised people and people with chronic lung illnesses, such as obstructive lung disease, may get serious infections in their lungs when they are exposed to mold. These people should stay away from areas that are likely to have mold, such as compost piles, cut grass, and wooded areas.
A link between other adverse health effects, such as acute idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage among infants, memory loss, or lethargy, and molds, including the mold Stachybotrys chartarum (Stachybotrys atra), has not been proven. Further studies are needed to find out what causes acute idiopathic hemorrhage and other adverse health effects.
(SMH Note: The proof that the CDC is avoiding a known public health threat is found on our Mold Research and Sick Building Symptoms pages, where you will find hundreds of articles and studies taken from thousands of studies, worldwide, to indicate that mold is a very serious public health threat, with far more symptoms than are listed above. The CDC is avoiding the toxic exposure aspect of mold and has been for numerous decades. They insist on conclusive evidence, yet don't want to fund studies. Conclusive evidence is never required to protect the public from health threats.)
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Mold and Your Home
Mold is found both indoors and outdoors. Mold can enter your home through open doorways, windows, vents, and heating and air conditioning systems. Mold in the air outside can also attach itself to clothing, shoes, bags, and pets can and be carried indoors.
Mold will grow in places with a lot of moisture, such as around leaks in roofs, windows, or pipes, or where there has been flooding. Mold grows well on paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, and wood products. Mold can also grow in dust, paints, wallpaper, insulation, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery.
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You Can Control Mold
Inside your home you can control mold growth by:
Keeping humidity levels between 40% and 60%;
Promptly fixing leaky roofs, windows, and pipes;
Thoroughly cleaning and drying after flooding;
Ventilating shower, laundry, and cooking areas.
If mold is growing in your home, you need to clean up the mold and fix the moisture problem. Mold growth can be removed from hard surfaces with commercial products, soap and water, or a bleach solution of no more than 1 cup of bleach in 1 gallon of water.
Mold growth, which often looks like spots, can be many different colors, and can smell musty. If you can see or smell mold, a health risk may be present. You do not need to know the type of mold growing in your home, and CDC does not recommend or perform routine sampling for molds. No matter what type of mold is present, you should remove it. Since the effect of mold on people can vary greatly, either because of the amount or type of mold, you can not rely on sampling and culturing to know your health risk. Also, good sampling for mold can be expensive, and standards for judging what is and what is not an acceptable quantity of mold have not been set. The best practice is to remove the mold and work to prevent future growth.
If you choose to use bleach to clean up mold:
Never mix bleach with ammonia or other household cleaners. Mixing bleach with ammonia or other cleaning products will produce dangerous, toxic fumes.
Open windows and doors to provide fresh air.
Wear non-porous gloves and protective eye wear.
If the area to be cleaned is more than 10 square feet, consult the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guide titled Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings. Although focused on schools and commercial buildings, this document also applies to other building types. You can get it free by calling the EPA Indoor Air Quality Information Clearinghouse at (800) 438-4318, or by going to the EPA web site at http://www.epa.gov/mold/mold_remediation.html. [external link]
Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using bleach or any other cleaning product.
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MOLD PREVENTION TIPS
Keep the humidity level in your home between 40% and 60%. Use an air conditioner or a dehumidifier during humid months and in damp spaces, like basements.
Be sure your home has enough ventilation. Use exhaust fans which vent outside your home in the kitchen and bathroom. Make sure your clothes dryer vents outside your home.
Fix any leaks in your home’s roof, walls, or plumbing so mold does not have moisture to grow.
Clean up and dry out your home thoroughly and quickly (within 24–48 hours) after flooding.
Add mold inhibitors to paints before painting.
Clean bathrooms with mold-killing products.
Remove or replace carpets and upholstery that have been soaked and cannot be dried promptly. Consider not using carpet in rooms or areas like bathrooms or basements that may have a lot of moisture.
To learn more about preventing mold in your home, see the Environmental Protection Agency's publication A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home at http://www.epa.gov/iaq/molds/moldguide.html. [external link]
Molds in the Environment
http://www.cdc.gov/mold/faqs.htm
Gives answers to Frequently Asked Questions about mold, provides recommendations for prevention.
The following was taken from the CDC website on Feb. 14, 2008
NCEH › Mold › General Information › Basic Facts
http://www.cdc.gov/mold/faqs.htm
BASIC FACTS
PDF [98 Kb] | Español
Molds in the Environment
What are molds?
What are some of the common indoor molds?
How do molds affect people?
Where are molds found?
How can people decrease mold exposure?
What areas have high mold exposures?
I found mold growing in my home, how do I test the mold?
A qualified environmental lab took samples of the mold in my home and gave me the results. Can CDC interpret these results?
What type of doctor should I see concerning mold exposure?
My landlord or builder will not take any responsibility for cleaning up the mold in my home. Where can I go for help?
I’m sure that mold in my workplace is making me sick.
I am very concerned about mold in my children’s school and how it affects their health.
What are molds?
Molds are fungi that can be found both indoors and outdoors. No one knows how many species of fungi exist but estimates range from tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thousand or more. Molds grow best in warm, damp, and humid conditions, and spread and reproduce by making spores. Mold spores can survive harsh environmental conditions, such as dry conditions, that do not support normal mold growth.
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What are some of the common indoor molds?
Cladosporium
Penicillium
Alternaria
Aspergillus
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How do molds affect people?
Some people are sensitive to molds. For these people, exposure to molds can cause symptoms such as nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing, or skin irritation. Some people, such as those with serious allergies to molds, may have more severe reactions. Severe reactions may occur among workers exposed to large amounts of molds in occupational settings, such as farmers working around moldy hay. Severe reactions may include fever and shortness of breath. Some people with chronic lung illnesses, such as obstructive lung disease, may develop mold infections in their lungs.
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Where are molds found?
Molds are found in virtually every environment and can be detected, both indoors and outdoors, year round. Mold growth is encouraged by warm and humid conditions. Outdoors they can be found in shady, damp areas or places where leaves or other vegetation is decomposing. Indoors they can be found where humidity levels are high, such as basements or showers.
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How can people decrease mold exposure?
Sensitive individuals should avoid areas that are likely to have mold, such as compost piles, cut grass, and wooded areas. Inside homes, mold growth can be slowed by keeping humidity levels between 40% and 60%, and ventilating showers and cooking areas. If there is mold growth in your home, you should clean up the mold and fix the water problem. Mold growth can be removed from hard surfaces with commercial products, soap and water, or a bleach solution of no more than 1 cup of bleach in 1 gallon of water.
If you choose to use bleach to clean up mold:
Never mix bleach with ammonia or other household cleaners. Mixing bleach with ammonia or other cleaning products will produce dangerous, toxic fumes.
Open windows and doors to provide fresh air.
Wear non-porous gloves and protective eye wear.
If the area to be cleaned is more than 10 square feet, consult the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guide titled Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings. Although focused on schools and commercial buildings, this document also applies to other building types. You can get it free by calling the EPA Indoor Air Quality Information Clearinghouse at (800) 438-4318, or by going to the EPA web site at http://www.epa.gov/mold/mold_remediation.html. [external link]
Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using bleach or any other cleaning product.
Specific Recommendations:
Keep the humidity level in the house between 40% and 60%.
Use an air conditioner or a dehumidifier during humid months.
Be sure the home has adequate ventilation, including exhaust fans.
Add mold inhibitors to paints before application.
Clean bathrooms with mold killing products.
Do not carpet bathrooms and basements.
Remove or replace previously soaked carpets and upholstery.
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What areas have high mold exposures?
Antique shops
Greenhouses
Saunas
Farms
Mills
Construction areas
Flower shops
Summer cottages
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I found mold growing in my home, how do I test the mold?
Generally, it is not necessary to identify the species of mold growing in a residence, and CDC does not recommend routine sampling for molds. Current evidence indicates that allergies are the type of diseases most often associated with molds. Since the susceptibility of individuals can vary greatly either because of the amount or type of mold, sampling and culturing are not reliable in determining your health risk. If you are susceptible to mold and mold is seen or smelled, there is a potential health risk; therefore, no matter what type of mold is present, you should arrange for its removal. Furthermore, reliable sampling for mold can be expensive, and standards for judging what is and what is not an acceptable or tolerable quantity of mold have not been established.
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A qualified environmental lab took samples of the mold in my home and gave me the results. Can CDC interpret these results?
Standards for judging what is an acceptable, tolerable, or normal quantity of mold have not been established. If you do decide to pay for environmental sampling for molds, before the work starts, you should ask the consultants who will do the work to establish criteria for interpreting the test results. They should tell you in advance what they will do or what recommendations they will make based on the sampling results. The results of samples taken in your unique situation cannot be interpreted without physical inspection of the contaminated area or without considering the building’s characteristics and the factors that led to the present condition.
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What type of doctor should I see concerning mold exposure?
You should first consult a family or general health care provider who will decide whether you need referral to a specialist. Such specialists might include an allergist who treats patients with mold allergies or an infectious disease physician who treats mold infections. If an infection is in the lungs, a pulmonary physician might be recommended. Patients who have been exposed to molds in their workplace may be referred to an occupational physician. CDC is not a clinical facility. CDC does not see patients, diagnose illness, provide treatment, prescribe medication, or provide referrals to health care providers.
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My landlord or builder will not take any responsibility for cleaning up the mold in my home. Where can I go for help?
If you feel your property owner, landlord, or builder has not been responsive to concerns you’ve expressed regarding mold exposure, you can contact your local board of health or housing authority. Applicable codes, insurance, inspection, legal, and similar issues about mold generally fall under state and local (not federal) jurisdiction. You could also review your lease or building contract and contact local or state government authorities, your insurance company, or an attorney to learn more about local codes and regulations and your legal rights. CDC does not have enforcement power in such matters, nor can we provide you with advice. You can contact your county or state health department about mold issues in your area to learn about what mold assessment and remediation services they may offer. You can find information on your state’s Indoor Air Quality program at http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/airpollution/indoor_air.htm.
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I’m sure that mold in my workplace is making me sick.
If you believe you are ill because of exposure to mold in the building where you work, you should first consult your health care provider to determine the appropriate action to take to protect your health. Notify your employer and, if applicable, your union representative about your concern so that your employer can take action to clean up and prevent mold growth. To find out more about mold, remediation of mold, or workplace safety and health guidelines and regulations, you may also want to contact your local (city, county, or state) health department.
You should also read the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Guidelines, Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings, at http://www.epa.gov/iaq/molds/mold_remediation.html. [external link]
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I am very concerned about mold in my children’s school and how it affects their health.
If you believe your children are ill because of exposure to mold in their school, first consult their health care provider to determine the appropriate medical action to take. Contact the school’s administration to express your concern and to ask that they remove the mold and prevent future mold growth. If needed, you could also contact the local school board.
CDC is not a regulatory agency and does not have enforcement authority in local matters. Your local health department may also have information on mold, and you may want to get in touch with your state Indoor Air Quality office. Information on this office is available at http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/airpollution/indoor_air.htm.
You can also read the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines, Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings, at http://www.epa.gov/iaq/molds/mold_remediation.html [external link]. Also, see these Web sites for more indoor air quality tools for schools:
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/tfs/guidtoc.html [external link]
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/tfs/guideh.html [external link]
http://www.healthyschools.org/guides_materials.html [external link]
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Other Environmental Hazards & Health Effects Topics
Environmental Public Health Indicators Project
List of core indicators, links to individual indicators, data sources ...more
Environmental Public Health Tracking Program
About the program, communication library, conferences and meetings, data resources, partnerships ...more
Health Studies
Cancer clusters, CAFOs, harmful algal blooms, water, pesticides, chemicals, disaster epi ...more
Radiation Studies
General radiation facts, public health research, radon research ...more
--------------------------
Click to access your state's House Committee on Science and Technology Members:
COMMITTEE MEMBERS in the 110th Congress
BART GORDON (Tennessee), Chairman
Jerry F. Costello, Illinois
Eddie Bernice Johnson, Texas
Lynn C. Woolsey, California
Mark Udall, Colorado
David Wu, Oregon
Brian Baird, Washington
Brad Miller, North Carolina
Vice Chairman Daniel Lipinski, Illinois
Nick Lampson, Texas
Gabrielle Giffords, Arizona
Jerry McNerney, California
Laura Richardson, California
Paul E. Kanjorski, Pennsylvania
Darlene Hooley, Oregon
Steven R. Rothman, New Jersey
Jim Matheson, Utah
Mike Ross, Arkansas
Ben Chandler, Kentucky
Russ Carnahan, Missouri
Charlie Melancon, Louisiana
Baron P. Hill, Indiana
Harry E. Mitchell, Arizona
Charles A. Wilson, Ohio
RALPH M. HALL (Texas), Ranking Republican Member
F. James Sensenbrenner Jr., Wisconsin
Lamar Smith, Texas
Dana Rohrabacher, California
Roscoe G. Bartlett, Maryland
Vernon J. Ehlers, Michigan
Frank D. Lucas, Oklahoma
Judy Biggert, Illinois
W. Todd Akin, Missouri
Jo Bonner, Alabama
Tom Feeney, Florida
Randy Neugebauer, Texas
Bob Inglis, South Carolina
David Reichert, Washington
Michael T. McCaul, Texas
Mario Diaz-Balart, Florida
Phil Gingrey, Georgia
Brian P. Bilbray, California
Adrian Smith, Nebraska
Paul Broun, Georgia
(January 4, 2007) Mr. Gordon named Chairman (H. Res. 7)
(January 4, 2007) Mr. Hall named Ranking Republican Member (H. Res. 8).
(January 10, 2007) Republican Members assigned (H. Res. 45).
(January 18, 2007) Democratic Members assigned (H. Res. 75).
(January 23, 2007) Mr. Kanjorski and Ms. Hooley appointed (H. Res. 85).
(March 13, 2007) Mr. Reichert appointed (H. Res. 236).
(July 25, 2007) Mr. Broun appointed (H. Res. 566).
(September 20, 2007) Ms. Richardson appointed (H. Res. 667).
(September 20, 2007) Mr. Honda resigned from the Committee.
SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPACE AND AERONAUTICS
Mark Udall, Chairman
Mr. Wu
Mr. Lampson
Mr. Rothman
Mr. Ross
Mr. Chandler
Mr. Melancon
Mr. Gordon (ex officio)
Tom Feeney , Ranking Republican Member
Mr. Rohrabacher
Mr. Lucas
Mr. Bonner
Mr. McCaul
Mr. Hall (ex officio)
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