Dangerous Molds - A Growing Risk

People spend 90% of their time indoors and indoor pollutant levels are consistently higher (2 to 5 times) than outdoors. Breathing poor indoor air may have an important impact on one's health. Therefore, people who spend much of their time indoors may be at greater risk of developing health problems or having problems made worse by indoor pollutants. Persons most affected include infants, young children, the elderly and those with chronic illnesses.

Health effects from poor indoor air are predominantly observed in children with asthma. In the last 15 years, there has been a 60% increase in incidence of asthma in school-aged children. Today, 8% of all school-aged children have been diagnosed with asthma and it has been estimated that 2.6 million under the age of 15 have asthma.

Everyone is exposed daily to biological pollutants. However, the effects on our health are dependent upon the air pollutant, concentration, duration of exposure and individual sensitivity to the irritant. Some persons do not experience health reactions from biological pollutants, while others may experience one or more of the following allergic reactions:

Some Common Signs & Symptoms:
* Water Eyes
* Runny nose and sneezing
* Nasal congestion
* Itching
* Coughing
* Wheezing and difficulty in breathing
* Headache
* Fatigue

Estimates:
* 5 million students and school staff members are affected by poor indoor air quality
* Over 50% of 86,000 schools have poor ventilation and significant sources of mould in the buildings
* 50 million or more Americans suffer from asthma, allergies and hay fever
* Surveys have shown that 30-50% of all structures have damp conditions which may encourage the growth of fungi and bacteria