Dealing with

MOLDUsing

IntegratedPest Management

(IPM)

Pesticide Use on School Grounds

Wisconsin law requires thatwhen pesticides are applied onpublic school grounds (indoorsor outdoors), the applicatormust be certified and licensed inthe appropriate category, by theWisconsin Department ofAgriculture, Trade andConsumer Protection. Thetreated area must be posted for72 hours thereafter. Pesticidesare classes of chemicals thatinclude insecticide, herbicides,rodenticides and other productsthat kill, repel or control pests.Only use of sanitizers,disinfectants, or germicides areexempt from theserequirements. Postingrequirements can be found in s.94.715, Wis. Stats. or at theDATCP website.

There are other state andfederal health andenvironmental regulations thatpertain to the use of chemicalson school grounds. School staffshould weigh all therequirements that pertain to useof chemicals at school, and theusefulness of non-chemicalmethods before electingchemical products for use onmold.

Hiring a professional service

If hiring an outside service todeal with mold, DATCPrecommends that schoolpersonnel discuss the followingpoints with the intendedcontractor:� references of experience with

mold remediation � plan of approach to the

problem - including steps thatinclude inspection and, ifnecessary, sampling to verifypresence of a mold problem

� methods to be used to correctany problem found

� product name and labelinformation about allpotential chemicals to beused and an explanation foruse of chemicals in lieu ofnon-chemical measures

� produce their DATCPpesticide applicator licenseand certification if a pesticidewill be used, and the productlabel does not state thepesticide is only a sanitizer,germicide or disinfectant

Mold problems can present ahealth hazard to buildingoccupants, but so canimproperly-used chemicals.School personnel are legallyresponsible for proper use ofpesticides on school grounds.

Building occupants should neverconcede to use of chemicals asa first line or on-going remedyfor mold problems. Preventionand mechanical methodsshould be adequate and maybe followed with a mist of 10%bleach as a final disinfectingstep.

For further information contact:

Wisconsin Department ofAgriculture, Trade andConsumer Protection,

608-224-4547School Integrated PestManagement Programassistance:� http://datcp.state.wi.us/arm/

agriculture/pest-fert/pesticides/school_ipm.html

� agriculture@datcp.state.wi.us

Wisconsin OccupationalHealth Laboratory -Mycology lab for moldsample analysis:

608-224-6261

US EPA information:� http://www.epa.gov/iaq/

molds/� http://www.epa.gov/iaq/

pubs/airduct.html

DATCP pesticide applicatorcertification and licensinginformation:

608-224-4560� http://datcp.state.wi.us/arm/

agriculture/pest-fert/pesticides/licenses/

Pesticide information:� http://www.kellysolutions.

com/wi/

Wisconsin Department ofHealth and Family Services,mold safety and healthinformation:

608-266-2817

Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer ProtectionDivision of Agricultural Resource ManagementPO Box 8911, Madison WI, 53708-8911 - Phone: 608-224-4547Website: datcp.state.wi.us

arm-pub-100.qxd

TThhee sstteeppss ttoo ccoonnttrrooll mmoolldd iinnsscchhoooollss aarree pprreevveennttiioonn,,mmoonniittoorriinngg,, rreeccoorrddiinngg,, cclleeaanniinnggaanndd ccoommmmuunniiccaattiioonn.. These arethe basic steps of Integrated PestManagement (IPM) - the safestapproach to preventing pestproblems, including mold,before they occur, and dealingwith them if they are found.

What is mold and why is it a problem?

'Mold' is a common term forhundreds of naturally occurringspecies of microscopic plantscalled 'fungi' and is present insmall amounts in the air aroundus. Mold can either reproduceor lay dormant for a time, as'spores', then become activeagain. Depending on thespecies, spores can live manymonths and be easilytransported on air currents.Normally mold's presence is nota problem. But when conditionsare right, mold can multiply tointolerable levels.� relative humidity greater than

50%, � temperatures between 40

and 100 °F, � organic matter as a substrate

(insect bodies, wet wood,carpet, wallboard �)

Some of the common symptomsassociated with overexposure tomold are similar to flu or allergysymptoms and include sinuscongestion, watery or itchy eyesand sore throat. In extremecases, some individuals aresusceptible to mold-inducedasthma. (Note that thesesymptoms can also be causedby other irritants such asextremely high or low humidity,chemicals, rodent droppings,other pests such as dust mitesand they depend on varyingreactions to their environment.)Excess mold can also causestructural impacts such as

building discoloration,deterioration and equipmentmalfunction.

There is no established 'unsafe'level for mold. Most often itspresence is unnoticeable.

Prevention - Keep it dry� Adjust humidity in the

building to 30-50% (impedesmold growth, but is notuncomfortably dry)

� Routinely empty standingwater in condensation pans atchillers

� Restrict water infiltration -seasonally check flashing,weather-stripping, caulkingaround conduit entering thebuilding. Make promptrepairs.

� Insulate pipes and sealductwork to eliminatecondensation.

� With acoustic fiberglass-insulated AC ductwork, sealthe ductwork, run onlyconditioned, dehumidifier airthrough it and periodicallyinspect the insulation forvisible mold.

It is virtually impossible to getrid of all mold and mold sporesindoors; they are always presentfloating on the air and dustparticles. To minimize moldproblems, control the habitat -the presence of moisture.

Look for the SignsMonitoring is the cornerstone toIPM. Inspect your facilityroutinely.

If you sample for mold, you willoften find mold it in someconcentration, since it is socommon. The best way todetermine if the amount ofmold present is or will likelybecome a problem is by adocumented increase ofoccupant complaints abouthealth-related symptoms orcomfort issues such as odor.Another way to determine ifthere�s a mold problem is tovisually inspect the facility formold.

Health complaintsOccupant's information will helpshow patterns related to aspecific part of a building, atime of day or week, or certainoperations that generateairborne contaminants. Forexample, you might find a highpercentage of complaints aboutstuffy air on Monday morningsafter the air handling systemhas not been operating over theweekend. But if those types ofcomplaints do not clear up afterthe system runs for a few hours,they could be related to anothertype of air quality problem;perhaps mold, second-handsmoke or use of a cleaningproduct.

Visual inspectionCommon sources of moldproblems are where water isallowed to collect indoors suchas at a waterline leak,condensation on pipes,ductwork or equipment, or onentryway carpeting.

If you suspect a mold problemand the humidity is not within30-50%, adjust the building'shumidification so it is within that

range. If humidity is within theproper range, look for signs ofwater infiltration. Since waterflows downhill, you might find aleak somewhere in the buildingby tracing the likely path ofwater flow. Start where you finda problem, like a visible patchof mold or a damp or wetsurface, and search for the mostlikely path from points above oreven on the same level as thatlocation. Look for leaks orcondensation. You can also lookfor likely areas where materialsof different temperature meetsuch as cold water pipesrunning above a warmer ceilingwhere the dew point at thepipe's surface can condensehumidity and drip water ontoceiling tiles below. One IPMcoordinator even found moldycondensate pooled in thenarrow 'U' channel supporting askylight. Finding a leak,especially a slow or old one,can be more difficult than itsounds.

Hidden water line leaks arepossible, consider the potentialthat a pipe in a wall is leaking.Investigate all other possibilitiesbefore you open a wall,because most indoor air qualityproblems are corrected byproper operation of the airhandling system.

Record keepingKeep a record of the building'swater-related problems.

� Frequency, time, location,and a description of wherethe water went and what wasdone about it will be helpfulinformation should a moldproblem develop.

� Keep track of indoor airquality complaints: specificlocation, time and day of theweek when symptoms occur.

� Work with your schoolpersonnel office to design anysurvey or recording systemthat collects informationabout individual employee'shealth. Certain personaldetails are considered to bemedical records requiringconfidentiality and specialhandling.

Monitoring and record keepingwill generate valuable data tohelp identify and communicateto occupants the true problemwhen there may be manytheories afoot.

Cleaning - If mold is found.Mechanical methodsRemove and dispose of all wetbuilding materials (e.g., wet orcontaminated carpet,wallboard, pinned on ductlining) - even after they havedried. If dried materials are re-exposed to humidity, spores ofthe mold that are present in

these materials can begin tomultiply. Take precautions to

avoid mold overexposure duringcleanup - wear personalprotective equipment andminimize turbulence by closingdoors, windows and air ductsduring the work.

On hard, solid surfaces likesealed concrete, metal ducts,and tile, remove debris such asdirt, insects, and visible mold bybrushing or scraping it off. A10% bleach solution works wellas a final wash or mist todisinfect the surface after allmechanical methods are used.Use proper personal protectiveequipment during this process.

Chemical Product choicesEPA cautions against using anti-microbial agents to prevent ortreat mold problems in airducts. The effectiveness of theseproducts is questionable.Because mold spores can havelong dormant stages, preventivepesticides applied to the schoolwould have to stay active over along period. Lingeringpesticides can potentially beunhealthy for buildingoccupants and can also createresistance in mold species,making them ineffective on themold. Pesticides are labeled foruse in specific areas at specificrates of application, and veryfew are registered for thispurpose.

Labels for pesticide productsregistered by the USEnvironmental ProtectionAgency, will list the ingredientsand legal uses of the products.Read and understand the labelbefore purchase andapplication of any product.Labels also contain importantsafety information.