In an effort to gather as much information as possible, I’ve put together a combination of article snippets, blog news, video and more all about, mold related illness schools in New Jersey.

If you are a concerned parent just trying to learn more about mold in schools, no matter where you live, read on as this is helpful information and applies to many States.

Starting with citing a NJ mold elementary school case back in March of 2007. Then move to an excerpt about mold in schools, both public and private, in New Jersey and across the USA and how they are having serious mold problems. Children are getting sick and in some cases, even dying. Toxic mold poisioning is suspected. Mold remediation in New Jersey schools and in numerous States is being saught after, in some cases.

Mold Related Illness And Schools In New Jersey: A Serious Problem

Mar 29, 2007 8:22 pm US/Eastern
School Of Mold: New N.J. School Faces Demolition

$42 Million School Hadn’t Even Been Opened Yet
by Tanya Rivero
NEPTUNE TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBS)

"Three years and tens of millions of dollars later, part a brand new elementary school in New Jersey will be torn down before it ever held one class. The reason for this waste of taxpayer’s money: mold.

"Parents were quite frankly shocked. We had been making plans to move over here in the fall," Neptune Township School Superintendent David A. Mooij told CBS 2. "The students and the parents had watched the building go up, and now they must watch it torn down."

Molds in School by Elizabeth Hauge Sword
Children’s Health Environmental Coalition
An excerpt: Please read the entire article here: http://www.checnet.org/healthehouse

"McKinley Elementary School, Fairfield, Connecticut. East Pennsboro High School, Enola, Pennsylvania. Whitaker Middle School, Portland, Oregon. These schools and many others like them have a story to tell — kids getting sick from school are not isolated incidents.

In schools across the country, mold has been suspected in the illness and deaths of students. It is a well-known fact that mold can adversely affect human health, and precedent suggests that the deteriorating conditions in schools are at least partly responsible for children’s poor health. To determine whether specific health outcomes are indeed the direct result of mold exposure in classrooms is not currently within the realm of scientific understanding. Even the science behind why molds cause certain health problems is not well understood.

Fatigue, headaches, asthma, and irritation of the eyes and nose are common symptoms associated with exposure to mold. "Toxic" molds, so called because they can release toxic substances into the air called mycotoxins, are not necessarily more harmful than other mold varieties, as nearly all molds can cause health problems. Children are especially susceptible to mold exposures, and those with mold allergies or pre-existing asthma are often at greater risk."

Good Information If You Are Worried About Mold In New Jersey Schools

"Elementary schools in the New Jersey and New York and Philadelphia metro areas can contact Jason Earle at Lab Results LLC, based in Princeton, to handle mold detection — a service that is free of charge and unique in its approach."

Watch this video about a public Elementary School with mold, water damage and more. These are appauling conditions that put children at risk for mold related illness in schools.

 

Mold New Jersey: Moms Should Be Concerned About Mold

Children, the elderly, and people with depressed immune systems due to cancer, organ transplants, or AIDS, can become very sick when exposed to higher than normal levels of mold. Even some healthy individuals happen to be very sensitive to mold and are unable to tolerate a slight elevation of mold spores.

Mold, scientifically known as fungi (singular: fungus), is not new – it’s been around since the beginning of time and is a normal occurrence. Mold spores are found everywhere, even in Antarctica. The amount of spores in the air fluctuates day to day according to geographical locations, temperature, and the weather. Mold is abundant – there are between 1.3 to 3 millions species of mold, and they come in all kinds of colors. Some are common, and some are rare. Some are known to be toxic.

Mold can be classified into three broad categories as far as health effects are concerned. The first category is allergenic molds, which cause allergic or asthmatic reactions, but do not usually cause permanent health effects in most healthy, active people. There are pathogenic molds, which can cause serious health problems in those who are more susceptible. And finally, there are toxic molds that can cause serious health problems in everybody. The severity of these problems differs depending on age, immune system, and sensitivity.

Mold becomes a problem when it is growing inside our homes. A mold problem is, above all, a water or humidity problem. Without moisture mold spores cannot grow. Thus it behooves homeowners to practice mold prevention through regular maintenance and being vigilant in making prompt repairs when leaks occur. One must remember that within 24 to 48 hours following leaks, mold can start growing.

Mold serves a good purpose in life by breaking down dead organic material, because without it, we would be living in a trash heap. To reproduce itself mold ejects microscopic spores (seeds) into the air. When a spore lands in a good environment with food (dead organic material such as wood or drywall) and water, it starts to grow. It then sends hyphae (tree-root like system) into the material and these hyphae emit enzymes that rot and digest the material it is sitting on. If anyone has tried to “clean up” mold and has seen it coming back, it is due to those hyphae that stay embedded in the material. A few weeks following the cleaning, mold reappears because the root system is still in the material, and similar to a plant, it grows back if moisture continues to be present. Certain types of mold do not even need a leak in order to grow. If the relative humidity of the air (RH) is above 60% some mold can take the humidity from the air and start growing on walls, furniture, and personal effects. Owning a proper dehumidifier can literally suck quarts of water out of the air in your home and get the humidity level down below 60%

Sometimes people have no idea that a problem has taken place until they get sick. Plumbing leaks in showers are notorious for being unnoticed for a long period of time before being discovered. If mold is suspected, call a mold inspector who will be able to detect whether a mold problem exists and if so where it is coming from. Before hiring a professional, it is important to obtain credentials and references. Mold detection is not an exact science, thus experience often equals expertise.

If your child seems to have constant allergies, it might be due to mold. Collecting air samples with mold test kits utilizing a corresponding outside control is the only way to assess the air quality, with respect to mold spores, inside the home. In addition to that, seriously consider this environmental mold reduction protocol kit developed by Dr. Donald P. Dennis, M.D. This package has several components designed to dramatically reduce airborne molds.

In 2005 researchers from the Mayo Clinic found that fungi play a large role in chronic rhinosinusitis. In fact, the findings indicates that chronic rhinosinusitis is a result of a fungal driven inflammation rather than a bacterial infection.

• Indoor air quality problems in schools affect both students and teachers. The following statistics were published on February 2, 2005 by the IEQ Review:
• One in five schools in America has indoor air quality problems.
• Asthma accounts for 14 million missed school days each year.
• The rate of asthma in young children has risen by 160 percent in the past 15 years.
• 1 out of every 13 school-age children has asthma.

The Center for Indoor Environments and Health at the University of Connecticut states “the most common types of illnesses directly related to mold are type I responses of allergic rhinitis and asthma.” They go on to say “… allergic inflammation can trigger bronchospasm, chest tightness, and shortness of breath, leading to either new onset of asthma or asthma exacerbation in sensitized individuals.”

Poor maintenance in schools and lack of money are often cited as excuses for mold problems, but little is done about it. This does not only pertain to public schools; some private schools are just as bad. Many university dorms, regardless of school prestige, are in poor condition and some harbor mold. Students accept these conditions as status quo and fail to complain. This situation does not have to be. If money can be found to modernize a gym and re-sod the school lawn, money can be found to maintain buildings properly. Air quality should be a priority of any institution, and parents and teachers should demand it.

Mold In Schools In Newark, New Jersey – Your Stimulus Dollars At Work
Gilbane Building Co., which also oversaw the recent construction of the new Prudential Center arena in Newark, was fired by the New Jersey Schools Development Authority after officials discovered a mold infestation at a public school.

How Mold And Poor Indoor Air Quality Affects Public Schools
Currently, our schools are under scrutiny. Thanks to recent research, as well as publicized litigation, the students, teachers, and parents becoming well aware about the harmful effects of mold on indoor air quality.

Raising Kids In Public Schools – This School Has A Mold Problem
My husband and I have been praying about removing our kids from their Christian school and sending them to public school next year. Ironically, the decision was fueled by my oldest’s environmental allergies to the carpet and mold.

The Health Effects Of Mold Exposure In Public Schools
The extent of mold contamination and mold related illness in public schools has yet to be fully determined. In each school, a wide range of health problems, from minor to very serious, is attributed to indoor mold exposure.

About the Authors: Danielle and Charles Dobbs are principals of Dobbs Enterprises, Inc., a mold inspection and sampling company based in Maitland, Florida. They are authors of Mold Matters – Solutions and Prevention, and have written many articles. They also founded the International Institute of Professional Mold Inspectors, http://www.iipmi.com where they offer online courses. They give on site or online classes to engineers and maintenance crew to teach water intrusion and mold management. A unique telephone consulting service, a first in the nation, provides homeowners and building owners with an unbiased expert opinion or guidance about their particular mold problem.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Danielle_Dobbs

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Filed under: Toxic Mold Syndrome New Jersey