1125 Paramount Parkway suite B
Batavia Illinois, 60510
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MOLD

Mold contamination has been identified as a major contributor to building-related illness and poor indoor air quality. Without proper mitigation of water losses, mold can start to grow rapidly, within 48 hours. Where sewage backflows into a building, the amplification of mold growth is even greater and faster, unless properly mitigated and remediate. Some molds are known to be allergenic, pathogenic or toxigenic.

For mold remediation projects, IMPACT can provide the following onsite services:

○ Identify the extent and severity of mold contamination.

○ Supervise and/or monitor decontamination procedures.

○ Perform clearance testing to confirm that remediation was successfully completed.

   These may include use of the Anderson N-6, spore trap, Rodac, and wipe and bulk.

Air Contaminant IAQ Sampling Evaluations:

IMPACT has performed customized IAQ sampling evaluations for a variety of air contaminants, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from construction materials, office furnishings, and process operations. Determining the source and addressing engineering controls.

Mold Sampling Evaluations:

IMPACT has conducted mold investigations at industrial, health care, office buildings and residences. Microbial contamination can result in building occupant respiratory illness and infection. IMPACT's staff examines special microbial sources, such as water spray systems, humidifiers, porous insulation in HVAC systems, and water-damaged occupied spaces. We conduct indoor and outdoor sampling of these sources using a variety of sophisticated instrumentation to determine the species and concentration of airborne fungi and bacteria. Based on the investigation results, our staff develops remediation protocol to eliminate microbial contamination.

May 15, 2001, The Wall Street Journal

"Stachybotris chartarum, or stachy as it called for short, is invading a good many buildings and homes. The mold isn’t new, nor is the problem; but the recent outbreaks have people scared, and some of them have gone to extremes to deal with it. The fuzzy intruder lurks behind wallpaper and under sinks and feeds off moisture and building materials.

"Air-quality experts and doctors link it to illnesses ranging from dry coughs and runny noses to oozing rashes and constant fatigue. Allergy medicine helps, but for long-term relief of symptoms, you have to get rid of the mold. And despite all the mold and mildew removers for sale in supermarkets, that is easier said than done." ["Don’t Call Stachybotris the Black Plague, but It is Plaguing the South."]
 

40 Story 911 Ground Zero Skyscraper
In Big Trouble Because of Mold Infestation

[from Cleaning and Maintenance Management Online, cmmonline.com]
NEW YORK — A 40-story skyscraper at the edge of Ground Zero withstood the terrorist attacks — but could be demolished because of a gross infestation of foul mold. The steel and glass face of the Deutsche Bank tower on Liberty Street was ripped open by a violent wave of debris from the collapsing World Trade Center.

While the rubble damaged a major structural column in the building, engineers have deemed the tower stable.
The real problem is what's inside the walls. Officials at Ground Zero say an aggressive fungus — described as looking like black splotches — has spread rapidly in the walls and ventilation ducts of the building, which was valued at $178 million before September 11, the Daily News reported.

Cleanup crews and bank employees who have been in the tower said the mold is everywhere. Deutsche Bank has not released details about the mold. But city officials said they believe the fungus grew rapidly because of dark and damp conditions in the abandoned building. They said it does not appear related to any toxic contaminants from the collapsing towers.

Sprinklers inside the bank building apparently were triggered by intensely hot fires at Ground Zero and soaked many of the floors, the newspaper reported. The water eventually stopped, but weeks went by before workers were able to seal a 24-story gash in the building's facade.

"They got a big problem," said Terry Gordon, an associate professor at the New York University School of Medicine who researches workplace air quality. Gordon said removing the mold from the tower would be a monumental task.

The bank is concerned enough about the mold and asbestos contamination in nearby buildings that it has allowed few employees to retrieve items from the offices, sources said. Those who have gone into the tower say they have had to undergo safety training and don a protective suit and respirator.

Deutsche Bank officials have been tight-lipped about the tower's fate. But the bank has quietly discussed razing or partially demolishing the building if the mold can't be scrubbed away, sources said. Spokesman Mark Lingnau said no decision has been made. The city is not pressuring the bank to make a move.

Types of common mold:

* Aspergillus flavus: a mold allergen and potential cancer source that can cause serious, potentially fatal, lung infections in people with weakened immune systems. Like the other aspergillus strains, it is blue-green in color.
* Aspergillus fumigatus: a mold allergen that can cause lung infections.
* Aspergillus versicolor: a very common mold that forms on water-damaged building materials.
* Penicillium species: a common allergen, blue-green in color, found on water-damaged building materials. It can produce dangerous toxins.
* Fusarium species: molds that can flourish in water damage, may produce potent toxins.