Portal: United States Environmental Protection Agency

“ Many spores are so small they easily float through the air and can be carried for great distances by even the gentlest breezes. The number of mold spores suspended in indoor and outdoor air fluctuates from season to season, day to day, and even hour to hour.
Mold spores are ubiquitous; they are found both indoors and outdoors. Mold spores cannot be eliminated from indoor environments. Some mold spores will be found floating through the air and in settled dust; however, they will not grow if moisture is not present. ”

“ A building must be properly designed for climate, site location, and use, and its design must be accurately followed during construction or the building may have moisture-control problems. For more information on building construction for moisture control, see the Resource List.
Delayed or insufficient maintenance can lead to moisture problems in buildings. Undiscovered or ignored moisture problems can create an environment in which mold can grow. Moisture problems in temporary structures, such as portable classrooms, are also frequently associated with mold problems. ”

“ In general, if no significant risk concerns have been identified for a cancelled product, such as when a product is voluntarily cancelled, the policy statement suggests that the Agency will generally allow unlimited use of existing stocks, and unlimited sale by persons other than the registrant. A registrant will generally be allowed to continue to sell existing stocks for 1 year after the date cancellation is requested, or 1 year after the date the registrant has ceased to comply with the responsibilities that are placed upon registrants, whichever date is sooner. ”

“ EPA is proposing to deny the 2020 Petition because the objections raised to the 2020 Denial are not centrally relevant under a scenario in which EPA finalizes the proposal to withdraw the present BART-alternative Texas SO2 Trading Program FIP for Texas EGUs and replaces those requirements with source-specific SO2 BART requirements. ”

“ Special consideration should be given to who will be allowed into the area, how communications will be maintained, what materials can be taken into or used in the space, and what safety equipment is necessary. Only individuals trained in the hazards associated with that space should be allowed to enter. An attendant should be posted outside of the confined space area to summon help if necessary. The area should be well lit so that work can be conducted efficiently and injuries avoided.
In conducting the mold remediation, every effort should be made to keep dust and mold out of the air. ”

“ The fact remains that distributors and end-users may have possession of stocks of a pesticide product purchased in good faith after EPA issued a registration permitting distribution of the product in commerce and establishing conditions pertaining to the use of the product. The issuance of a cancellation order allows the Agency to appropriately regulate distribution and use of those stocks. ”

“ You may suspect mold, even if you can't see it, if a building smells moldy. You may also suspect hidden mold if you know there has been a water problem in the building and its occupants are reporting health problems. ”

“ In addition, disposal or return of product already in users hands is burdensome, especially in a case where EPA does not believe there is a substantial or imminent risk to continued use. Disposal can be expensive with costs both for transportation and disposal itself. When containers of sulfoxaflor have already been opened, transporting them can create a greater risk of spillage. Opened containers also create additional burden when sent for disposal because proper disposal may require that the content be verified, adding additional expense. ”

“ The highest priority in a remediation is to protect the health and safety of the building occupants and the remediation workers. Remediation plans vary according to the size and complexity of the job. ”

“ Biocides are substances that can destroy living organisms. The use of a biocide or a chemical that kills organisms such as mold (chlorine bleach, for example) is not recommended as a routine practice during mold cleanup. ”

“ Professional advice may be necessary to determine if the project budget will allow enough samples to be taken to characterize a problem. If sampling cannot be done properly and enough samples to answer the questions posed cannot be taken, then it is preferable not to sample at all. Inadequate sample plans may generate misleading, confusing, and useless results. ”

“ Wet Vacuum
Wet, or water-extraction, vacuums are designed to collect water. They can be used to remove water that has accumulated on floors, carpets, and hard surfaces. Wet vacuums should be used only when materials are still wet, otherwise they may spread mold spores. Wet vacuums alone will not dry carpets. Wet carpets must be pulled up and dried, then reinstalled. The carpet padding also must be dried. The tanks, hoses, and attachments of wet vacuums should be thoroughly cleaned and dried after use because mold and mold spores may stick to their surfaces. ”

“ If the HVAC system is turned off during or shortly after major cleaning efforts that involve a lot of water, such as mopping and carpet shampooing or cleaning, the humidity may rise greatly, and moisture or mold problems may develop. ”

“ Since molds gradually destroy the things they grow on, if mold growth is not addressed promptly, some items may be damaged such that cleaning will not restore their original appearance. If mold growth is heavy and items are valuable or important, you may wish to consult a restoration/water damage/remediation expert. ”

“ The relative warmth of the crawl space will dry the soil by evaporation, adding this moisture to the air in the crawl space where it can cause mold to grow. Also, in areas where the water table is high and weather conditions are suitable, ground water may enter a crawl space.
The moisture that accumulates in a crawl space may also enter another part of the building and contribute to mold growth there. Moisture can pass from a crawl space into a building through cracks in walls, floors, and ceilings. ”

“ In general, the most important equipment is your own eyes and nose, although a good flashlight may help. Some investigators use borescopes to look for mold growth behind walls without significantly damaging the drywall. (A borescope is an optical probe, inserted through a small hole drilled into a wall, that lets an investigator inspect a small portion of the wall without causing extensive damage.) High humidity in a building can lead to mold growth, so humidity gauges may be useful for checking or monitoring humidity throughout the building. ”

“ Common sources of water or moisture include roof leaks, condensation due to high humidity or cold spots in a building, slow leaks in plumbing fixtures, humidification systems, sprinkler systems, and floods.* Besides moisture, mold needs nutrients, or food, to grow. ”

“ Molds gradually destroy the things they grow on. You can prevent damage to buildings and building contents, save money, and avoid potential health problems by controlling moisture and eliminating mold growth. ”

“ If you know or suspect that the water source is contaminated with sewage, or chemical or biological pollutants, then the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires PPE and containment. An experienced professional should be consulted if you and/or your remediators do not have expertise in remediating contaminated water situations. ”

“ In most cases, if visible mold is present, sampling is unnecessary.
The most important sign of a mold problem is visible mold. If mold is found during a building investigation, the size and extent of the moldy area should be determined. Information on the water or moisture problems that allowed the mold to grow should be evaluated, in part because areas of hidden mold may surround the areas of visible mold. ”

“ The HVAC system has the potential to spread mold throughout a building. Known or suspected mold growth in HVAC ducts or other system components should be investigated and resolved promptly. If substantial amounts of mold can be seen growing on the inside of hard surface ducts (e.g., ducts made of sheet metal) , consider cleaning the ducts. Consult the EPA guide Should You Have the Air Ducts in Your Home Cleaned? ”

“ Movement and communication are difficult and, if a problem arises, immediate exit from the area may be impossible.
The air in some confined spaces may be contaminated or low in oxygen, posing significant health risks for workers. Efficient rescue of an injured worker may be difficult or impossible. Poor lighting may result in increased injuries. Because exposures may be greatly magnified in a confined space, workers must use a higher level of PPE than they would when working in a more accessible area. ”

“ A key step when looking for mold in a building is to determine whether there has been a water leak. Maintenance personnel are frequently among the first to know when moisture problems have occurred. In some cases, management or health and safety personnel will have been notified. ”

“ Sampling for mold should be conducted by professionals who have specific experience in designing mold sampling protocols, sampling methods, and interpreting the results. Several problems can occur when sampling. For example, there may be too few samples, sampling protocols may not be followed consistently, samples may become contaminated, outdoor control samples may be omitted, and since sampling can be expensive, sufficient funds may not be available to sample and to fix the water/mold problem. ”

“ Most microbiology laboratories need only a little of the suspected mold on a clear strip of sticky tape to determine, using a microscope, whether it is actually mold or something that looks like mold. If you lack extensive experience or are in doubt about sampling, consult an experienced professional. ”

“ Molds can cause asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic to mold. In addition, molds can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs of individuals whether or not they are allergic to mold. ”

“ Some moisture problems have been linked to changes in building construction practices since the 1970s. These practices led to buildings that are tightly sealed but, in some cases, lack adequate ventilation. Without adequate ventilation, moisture may build up indoors and mold may grow. ”

“ Commercial firms that do mold remediation work or work on water- and fire-damaged buildings often use large fans, dehumidifiers, and other equipment to dry wet buildings and items quickly before mold has a chance to grow. ”

“ Humidity levels can rise in a building as a result of the use of humidifiers, steam radiators, moisture-generating appliances such as dryers, and combustion appliances such as stoves. Cooking and showering also can add to indoor humidity. ”

“ Worker safety must be carefully considered when deciding whether to use disinfectants or biocides because confined spaces may increase the potential for exposure. In general, work in confined spaces should be conducted only by trained professionals who have the equipment required by OSHA to deal with the inherent dangers in this type of environment. ”

“ Remediation workers, especially if they have health concerns, may want to check with their doctors before working on a mold investigation or remediation project. Anyone who has any doubts or questions should consult a healthcare professional before beginning work on a remediation project. ”

“ Remediators should follow EPA mold remediation guidance or other government or professional remediation guidance. Building occupants need to be informed about what is going to happen, when it will happen, and how they may be affected. ”

“ Table 1 continued *Use professional judgment to determine prudent levels of Personal Protective Equipment and containment for each situation, particularly as the remediation site size increases and the potential for exposure and health effects rises. Assess the need for increased Personal Protective Equipment, if, during the remediation, more extensive contamination is encountered than was expected. Consult Table 1 if materials have been wet for less than 48 hours, and mold growth is not apparent. ”

“ During the building survey, any moldy or damp odors should be noted because damp or musty odors suggest that water is or was present and mold growth is likely. Occupant complaints of odors and health problems also should be investigated. ”

“ Mold remediation involving a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system should be done only by professionals experienced in working with HVAC systems. Professionals may have several different methods and techniques for approaching HVAC remediation. ”

“ Mold growing near the intake to an HVAC system indicates potential ventilation humidity problems. An HVAC system that is part of an identified moisture problem may also be a site of mold growth. Experience and professional judgment should be used when working with the HVAC system ”