SENATE PASSES GREENLEAF TOXIC MOLD
RESOLUTION
HARRISBURG – The Senate has approved a resolution sponsored by Sen.
Stewart J. Greenleaf entreating the State Health Department to study toxic mold
and its health effects.
Greenleaf said that the House passed a similar resolution this week.
“Clearly, the Legislature is expressing concern over this issue and
support for the formation of a task force to investigate toxic mold,” he
noted.
The senator said a former constituent whose family became sickened by
mold growth in their home brought the issue to his attention.
The family spent money trying to fix the problem in the home, but
ultimately moved. The former constituent has been actively involved also in the
introduction of legislation in the U.S. Congress on toxic mold.
Under Senate Resolution 171, a
task force would be formed under the Health Department to study toxic mold and
its potential as a health hazard. The
Centers for Disease Control have found possible connections between mold
exposure and respiratory system problems. “This
is a legitimate concern because mold has been found in homes, schools and office
buildings, yet we don’t know much about long-term exposure and there are no
federal or state standards in existence,” Greenleaf said.
One of the goals of the study
would be to establish guidelines on exposure limits.
The study also would focus on identification of mold and assessment of
standards, ass well as remediation.
The proposed task force would
include health officials, medical professionals, consumers, mold abatement
experts, and representatives of industries involved in the issue.
These would include the insurance, construction, and real estate fields.
The legislation provides for the task force to report its findings to the
General Assembly.
