• National Radon Meeting
• Can we use hydrogen peroxide as a surface disinfectant instead of chlorine?
• If We Can Do it in Fargo, Georgia... A Visual Inspection Case Study
• Financial Upheavals Spell Trouble for IAQ Industry
• U.S. Needs Better Coordinated Policy on Mold, GAO Says
• Word on the Street
• Ooops! What Air Filters Don’t Filter

This past September, Las Vegas was the site and radon was the topic of the 2008 Symposium hosted by the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (AARST).  With over 200 attendees from 30 states and seven foreign countries, there certainly was a fair amount of “radon speak” as well as, I assume, a little sampling of the pleasures offered by the City of Las Vegas. 

However, since what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, I will focus on the more intellectual aspects of the conference and leave the rest to the reader’s imagination.  I will use this article to convey some of program announcements that were made at the meeting since all of the papers have been posted on the AARST website at www.aarst.org for free download and viewing.  The detailed studies regarding, for example, the design of multi-branch mitigation systems are perhaps best studied by going to this new and much appreciated section of the website.

AARST Announces Lobbying Plan 

In what some may perceive as a departure from AARST being a science or technology based organization, President Bill Angell announced on the opening day that AARST was initiating a program advocating legislative changes as well federal funding increases for radon.

More specifically, Professor Angell stated that a fund raising effort will commence this year in which $250,000 will be raised from AARST members by asking 100 members to donate $1,000 and 200 additional members to donate $500 each in addition to increasing general membership by 800 individuals. 

With the $250,000 Professor Angell, on behalf of AARST, intends to lobby on both a federal and state level for the following results as expressed in his presentation on the opening session of the conference.

AARST Lobbying Goals

•         Reauthorization of the 1988 Indoor Radon Abatement Act

•         Seek $62 million a year for

–                                Research

–                                Support of strengthening and expanding protocol and standards

•         Increase U.S. EPA’s federal budget by $38 million for

–                                State & Tribal programs

–                                Low-income radon mitigation and prevention demonstration projects

•         Initiate A new National Residential Radon Survey

•         Promote a new assessment of a threshold of action of 75 Bq/m3 (translates to 2 pCi/L)

Wow, Bill!  That is quite a set of objectives, but certainly worthy of action.

EPA Opens New Web Portal

Bill Long of the US EPA’s Indoor Environments Division also announced a new web tool that will likely benefit many of us in the radon industry.  The new site, which is still finishing its beta phase will host a variety of mechanisms for radon professionals as well as government representatives involved with operating radon programs to share experiences. 

Although there will be information for the consumer including simple of ways of advertising outreach programs around the country, the juicy discussions will be behind a password protected portion of the website, where forums will allow a variety of topics to be thrashed about.  Don’t however, let the password aspect of the site slow you down, anyone can register to be a full user of this portal page.

It has been suggested that this new portal may replace Dr. Bill Field’s Radon List serve, which has been a stalwart forum for discussion (some pretty technical, some pretty controversial - but all interesting).  If EPA’s web portal does replace this, thank you to Dr. Field for providing this service for so many years.

Those interested in accessing and registering on the site can go to: http://www.radonleaders.org  and select the "Join the Community" link at the very top of the page to register a user name and password.

EPA Pioneer Returns to Deliver Keynote Address 

For those that either experienced the early days of radon as an indoor health concern or perhaps read about it, they doubtlessly have run across the name of Rich Guimond who helped guide the formation of EPA’s radon program in the late 1980s and early 1990s.  It was during his leadership that such programs as the EPA Radon Proficiency Program was born, as well as the passage of the Indoor Radon Abatement Act of 1988. 

Now retired, Rear Admiral Guimond shared his perspective of leadership and the radon issue on an occasion at this meeting that he noted was 20 years after the first national press release regarding radon, which was the initial US Surgeon General’s Advisory about radon and the need to test homes. 

He also went on to describe programs that were set in motion in these early years with respect to incorporating testing at the time of real estate transactions, school testing, the need to incorporate radon control techniques in new construction as well as other and initiatives, that upon reflection are, in essence, the same approaches we are following 20 years later.  Perhaps, Adm. Guimond was indeed prescient in outlining these programs 20 years ago that endure to this day, or perhaps it is time to heed some of the leadership advice he provided by setting higher, although tougher, goals to achieve.  After all, as he pointed out “after 20 years, there still are 100 million homes yet to be tested in the United States and likely 7, million homes that still need mitigation.”

NEHA-NRPP Replaces Dick Manning as Chairman of Policy Advisory Board

As is customary, many meetings occur prior to the official start of the conference, which was also true of the Policy Advisory Board of the National Environmental Health Association’s National Radon Proficiency Program.  Citing personal issues Mr. Dick Manning had requested that he be allowed to step down from his position as Chairman and resume his original position as representing Manufacturers. 

The NEHA office accepted the unanimous recommendation of the Policy Advisory Board for Mr. Bruce Snead of Kansas State University to replace Mr. Manning as the administrative head of the board, responsible for organizing the board’s activities as well as being the individual responsible for conveying the board’s recommendation to NEHA. 

I certainly wish to acknowledge Mr. Manning’s contribution and willingness to continue to serve on the board and wish Mr. Snead’s the best of wisdom in this crazy business called radon.

As always who says there is nothing new in radon?

Doug Kladder

We have had this question several times lately, and the answer is yes.  Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is a strong oxidizing agent that does kill many microorganisms, depending on the strength of the solution that is used. Two molecules of H₂O₂ break down into 2 molecules of water and one of oxygen with the release of heat. H₂O₂ breaks down rapidly in light and is stored in brown bottles.  It is sold for pharmaceutical use as a 3% weight/volume (w/v) solution, and 3-6% solutions are commonly used as disinfectants.  Stronger solutions are not recommended for surface disinfection because they are extremely irritating.   3 and 6% w/v solutions are sometimes called “10 volume” and “20 volume” respectively.  A 6% (20 volume) solution is strong enough to bleach human skin.

When hydrogen peroxide breaks down in the presence of a living organism, it releases oxygen locally, causing critical cell components to become oxidized.  Oxygen release occurs relatively slowly, and minutes of contact time are usually necessary to kill most organisms.  Some living cells contain and/or release enzymes (catalases, peroxidases) that cause rapid breakdown of peroxides. 

When these enzymes are abundant, oxygen is released very rapidly, and may disperse before microorganisms are killed.  These enzymes may also be present in dead organic material.  This means that surfaces must be relatively free of non-living organic material if H₂O₂ is to be used.  In other words, if the walls are covered with mold, much of which is probably not alive, you may have to clean the wall first, then use the H₂O₂.  On the other hand, sodium hypochlorite (chlorine bleach) can be mixed with the cleaning solution directly. 

The biocidal activity of hydrogen peroxide depends on pH, temperature, concentration and time in contact with the organism. Low pH appears to enhance activity, and some people mix vinegar and H₂O₂.   Housewives put white vinegar in one spray bottle and peroxide in another and spray surfaces sequentially with the two solutions.

Combining acetic acid with hydrogen peroxide results in the formation of peracetic acid, which is a good disinfectant that is used in hospitals.  It has the advantage of not being deactivated by catalase and peroxidase.  It smells like strong vinegar and breaks down to acetic acid and H₂O₂ leaving the acetic odor. (en.wikipedia.org) There are commercial cleaning agents that combine H₂O₂ with weak acids.

Higher temperature (28^oC as opposed to 24^oC) increases activity, as does increasing concentration.   A concentration of at least 3% is necessary for surface disinfection.  This is the standard form supplied in pharmacies. 

Silver catalyzes the destruction of H₂O₂ and, when used appropriately, speeds the action of H₂O₂ in killing microorganisms.  Disinfectants based on this combination are available.  (www.sanosil.com), (www.accepta.com).  

H₂O₂ in a 7.5% solution has been compared to 2% glutaraldehyde (a potent and carcinogenic biocide used in hospitals) for disinfecting endoscopes.  The H₂O₂ worked as well and more quickly than the glutaraldehyde solution.

An H₂O₂ spray mist system has been used in hospitals to clean rooms occupied by patients with communicable infections.  In one study, Clostridium difficile (which produces highly resistant endospores) was used as an indicator organism.  The mist system was compared to hand washing of surfaces with 0.5% sodium hypochlorite.  The peroxide mist was significantly more effective.

As with all biocides, H₂O₂ should be used with extreme care.  It is a dangerous chemical.  When concentrated and exposed to silver it explosively produces steam and can be used as a rocket fuel.  At 5% in water it can permanently damage the eye, and is probably mutagenic for bacteria in the concentrations generally used for disinfection.   The short term exposure limit (STEL) for H₂O₂ mist is 10 ppm.  The time weighted average limit (TWA) is 3 ppm.   Note that sodium hypochlorite is equally hazardous, and perhaps more so, since mixing with acid or ammonia causes the release of chlorine gas and chloramines, respectively.  Mixing bleach with hydrogen peroxide can be explosive.  In addition, sodium hypochlorite leaves residues on surfaces that often have to be removed following disinfection.  H₂O₂ degrades completely to oxygen and water.  

Remember, in most mold situations, biocides are not necessary.  Removal of visible growth and thorough drying of the moldy material is usually sufficient to prevent regrowth.  Biocide use should be restricted to situations where the viability of the organism enhances the risks associated with exposure.

Here is a short list of websites that have good information on hydrogen peroxide:

http://science.jrank.org/pages/3462/Hydrogen-Peroxide.html

www.blackwellpublishing.com/eccmid18/abstract.asp?id=68386

http://www.freeradicalscience.com/showabstract.php?pmid=8868803

http://www.chemistrydaily.com/chemistry/Peroxide

The theme for this column is visual inspection: We will present a case study that expands on this theme a bit. The purpose is to help the reader become more aware (visually and otherwise) of the potential impact that various interior materials, products, and processes can have on the indoor environment. These of course play an important role in the design, construction, and occupancy of “green,” sustainable buildings, and can affect the quality of the indoor air.

When investigating a building and reviewing its features to determine the factors that can affect indoor environmental quality (IEQ), a number of things can be easily observed visually and do not require sampling and analysis. In fact, an important point to recognize as IEQ professionals is that IEQ testing is only one part of the larger picture of healthy and sustainable indoor space.

This is true whether one’s objective is to resolve an IEQ complaint or to proactively use green, sustainable materials and processes when designing, constructing, and operating a building. A variety of features and multiple disciplines come together to turn the concept of designing and constructing environmentally sustainable buildings into reality, including IEQ. We will illustrate a number of those features here.

There are several programs in place that focus on green buildings, materials, and processes. Some of these were reviewed in a previous issue of Indoor Environment Connections (July 2008). In the building certification arena, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) was established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in 2000 through a consensus-based process and has undergone several revisions and expansions since that time. LEED is one of the most recognized green building rating systems. It is a point based system with performance-based criteria. The program emphasizes integrated design and includes six credit categories: site selection; water use; energy efficiency; materials and resources; indoor environmental quality; and innovation in design. A minimum of 26 points is required for base level certification and there are additional certifications at the silver, gold, and platinum level. Some of the credits related to IEQ include control of environmental tobacco smoke, outdoor air delivery monitoring, increased ventilation, construction indoor air quality management both during construction and before occupancy, low-emitting materials, and indoor chemical and pollutant source control.

LEED specifies criteria for various low-emitting materials and products, including adhesives and sealants, paints and coatings, carpet systems, and composite wood and agrifiber products. While some building materials and products, even if used or installed in small quantities, can emit or off-gas high levels of airborne chemicals in building air, high-load materials and products (those with a substantial amount of exposed surface area) are also likely contributors to indoor airborne emissions. Particularly relevant to this case study were some installed features that are not specifically addressed by LEED, however, as will be discussed shortly.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has been a leader in the green building movement. It currently ranks first among State agencies nationally with seven LEED certified buildings; there are several more in the design and construction stage as well. Since one of Georgia DNR’s goals is to promote a conservation ethic, the Department’s green buildings are used as educational tools on sustainable design and construction.

Our case study involves a newly constructed visitor center at a state park in Georgia. The Suwannee River Visitor Center is located in Fargo, Georgia, near Stephen C. Foster State Park. Although Fargo, Georgia is many miles from anywhere, it is a primary entrance to the Okefenokee Swamp.

The Suwannee River site contains numerous environmentally-friendly features we can readily (visually) observe. The building is 7,000 square feet in size with a 200 foot boardwalk constructed of recycled decking. There is a substantial amount of natural lighting throughout the building. Visitors may also note the composting toilets installed in the facility, which significantly reduce water use.  [Epstien1.jpg]

There are also many integral components of the construction process and infrastructure that the casual observer does not see, although some of these have a direct or at least an indirect impact on us as consumers and visitors to the site. These include the extensive use of local and regional materials obtained from within a 500-mile radius. These materials include framing lumber and structural timbers, concrete, asphalt, and concrete. In addition, the site has a porous concrete parking lot to reduce storm water runoff.

A substantial energy savings (36.8%) was achieved with a high efficiency heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. In addition, in keeping with the Department’s innovative educational approach, the mechanical room is equipped with large windows and interactive exhibits on the green building attributes of the facility. There are also a number of features that might not affect the visitor at all but do impact the environment. For example, 77 % of construction waste was diverted from landfills.

Often in the LEED certification process and in building commissioning in general, when it comes to pre-occupancy IEQ testing the construction schedule and sequencing of construction activities present a challenge. Construction schedules notoriously experience delays. Hence, it should come as no surprise that often when the IEQ professional arrives on site to conduct pre-occupancy IEQ testing, he or she sees various contractors still actively working in the building. We usually can anticipate that, based on these visually observable circumstances, air sampling results will be adversely affected. For example, in the authors’ experience, among nine newly constructed buildings seeking LEED certification points for pre-occupancy IEQ testing, around half of those building had total volatile organic compound (TVOC) levels that exceeded the 500 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m³) criteria in one or more locations. In most of those cases, the elevated TVOCs were the result of last-minute interior finishing work such as cleaning and touch-up painting.

In the Suwannee River Visitor Center, however, all finishing work and all installations had been completed. The building was about as close to completion as one might hope for in terms of scheduling the pre-occupancy air sampling. In fact, results of air sampling for TVOC were 255 ug/m³, well below the specified criteria (as a point of information, based on building size pre-occupancy testing was required in only one sampling location). The relatively low VOC levels may be attributed to the selection of various low-emitting materials, such as paints, carpet, sealants and adhesives.

However, the formaldehyde level exceeded the 50 parts per billion (ppb) criteria by about a third, with a concentration of 67.7 ppb. In looking around to try and identify likely formaldehyde emitter(s), we noted that a substantial amount of wood was used within the building, including display case framing, timber framing, and interior trim.

However, while engineered wood products are known emitters of formaldehyde, Georgia DNR had specified and used low-emitting composite woods and solid woods in the construction and interior finishes of this visitor center. As such, the wood products were not considered to be the likely formaldehyde sources in this case. What we recognized as the key contributor of airborne formaldehyde were the numerous taxidermy specimens, as the Suwannee River Visitor Center contains various exhibits of indigenous wildlife.

The DNR team decided not to attempt to retest since the opening date was approaching. Further, per LEED stipulations, a retest requires additional flushout; this would have been detrimental to some of the building’s interior finishes as well as the exhibits and furnishings. Since there was no feasible replacement for the unique taxidermy specimens, Georgia DNR decided to forego the IEQ point in their pursuit of LEED certification. This study exemplifies in an interesting way some of the challenges faced when conducting pre-occupancy IEQ testing in a newly constructed building.  

While the building did not meet the testing criteria for the IEQ credit, the end result was highly successful, nonetheless. Sufficient credits were obtained in many of the other LEED categories to achieve LEED Gold level certification. These included a 69 % reduction in water use, 51 % percent of the building materials obtained from local and regional sources, 87 % of all regularly occupied spaces receive natural light, and 100 % of the regularly occupied spaces have views to the outdoors. Since a successful LEED project involves an integrated approach to design and construction there are many opportunities to achieve credits and points in the LEED rating system.

In summary, there were a number of good lessons learned from this study, including reinforcement of the importance of visual observations and the fact that while there are numerous commercially available low-emitting materials and products, some unique features of this building precluded the ability to meet the IEQ testing criteria.

In spite of some of the pre-occupancy IEQ testing challenges, the overall effort was successful, however. Not only was the Georgia DNR successful in minimizing adverse impacts on the environment but also by making positive contributions through an integrated approach to sustainable building design and construction. Visitors to the Suwannee River site can readily see (supporting this column’s theme of visual inspection!) and enjoy the resultant benefits of these efforts.

Barb Epstien, MPH, CIH is the Principal Industrial Hygienist for Epstien Environmental Resources, LLC, based in Marietta, GA. She is a certified industrial hygienist with a diverse, 30-year history in occupational and environmental health and safety encompassing consulting, training, and regulatory compliance. Barb can be reached by e-mail at barb@epstienenv.com or by phone at (770) 238-7160.

David Freedman, PE is the Director of Engineering & Construction for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, based in Atlanta, GA. He is a LEED Accredited Professional and a member of the U.S. Green Building Council LEED Faculty. An active leader in the green building community, he currently serves on the board of directors of the USGBC Atlanta Chapter. David can be reached by e-mail at DavidF@dnr.state.ga.us or by phone at (404) 656-6531.

The wild upheavals in the financial markets in recent weeks have had a substantial impact on the world of indoor air quality, as many small businesses have found it impossible to obtain the credit they need to keep their operations moving forward.

     Many observers believe that the HVAC industry and other installation businesses have been hit the hardest, as they have traditionally gotten so much of their equipment inventory on credit. But others, including manufacturers and even remediators, have also been affected.

     The stock market staggered through its worst week ever in mid-October, as one major American financial institution after another declared that it could not continue in business without assistance from the federal government. The collapse of these institutions quickly made itself felt in local economies across the nation, with banks becoming increasingly unwilling or unable to lend to any but the best credit risks.

     Some observers are hopeful, however, that the financial rescue bill passed by Congress and signed by President Bush in early October may provide some much-needed help, both because of its impact on the macroeconomy and also because it extends various tax breaks and incentives that affect smaller businesses and the real estate market.

     The Air Conditioning Contractors Association strongly urged Congress to pass the rescue bill. “We think it’s an important effort to bring stability and liquidity back to the financial markets in this country,” said Charlie McCrudden, spokesman for ACCA. He cautioned however that the bill was only a first step.

     “The breakdown of the credit market has really had a terrible impact on small business,” he noted, “not only because many of them get their inventory on credit, but also because so many of them extend credit to their customers through a third party.” That credit is often used to pay for the most basic aspects of the business, including payroll and delivery costs.

Contractors are also heavily dependent on the availability of credit, he added. “When the LIBOR rate tripled overnight, that really hit home.” LIBOR is the rate that banks charge each other for three-month loans.

When the stock market continued its plunge in mid-October despite the passage of the rescue plan – known a the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 – U.S. Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson unveiled a more aggressive plan that involved the federal government actually taking an ownership stake in several major banks. ACCA also supported this move as part of the ongoing effort to add much-needed liquidity to the economy.

But longtime observers of the stock market are quick  to point out that while the Treasury can inject liquidity into the banking sector by buying up stakes in large banks, the financial world may still be wary about lending until it becomes clear just where the bottom of this financial collapse may be.

Market action shortly after the second round of Treasury action indicated that many lenders were continuing to take just such a wait-and-see approach.

 Tax Incentives

The rescue bill also contained several alterations to the tax code, or in many cases extensions of tax breaks that were slated to expire, that could have a beneficial impact in terms of encouraging home improvements and further real estate investment, on both the residential and commercial side.

For the residential market, the bill includes a $500 tax credit for homeowners who make improvements to their HVAC systems, a provision ACCA strongly supported.

The bill also includes three legislative priorities for the commercial real estate industry: the two year extension of both the 15-year timeline for depreciating leasehold improvements and brownfields expensing, and a five-year extension of the tax deduction for energy efficient commercial buildings.

The two-year extensions on brownfields expensing and leasehold depreciation are retroactive to January 1, 2008 and will go through Dec. 31, 2009. The deduction of up to $1.80/square foot for energy efficiency improvements made to commercial buildings that achieve 50 percent reduction in energy use, compared to a base building defined by the ASHRAE 90.1-2001 Standard, will now expire Dec. 31, 2013.

“We commend Congress and the Administration for passing the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 with the provisions on leasehold depreciation, brownfields expensing and energy efficiency tax incentives,” commented the Building Operators and Managers Association International Chair and Chief Elected Officer Richard D. Purtell, portfolio manager, Grubb & Ellis Management Services, Inc.

“These provisions are critical for both commercial real estate and the overall economy as they will stimulate development, provide a more realistic depreciation schedule for tenant improvements and promote the industry’s voluntary effort to improve energy efficiency in commercial buildings.”

The Washington-based National Association of Counties (NACo) said the financial rescue bill, which authorizes the U.S. Treasury Department to purchase $700 billion in troubled assets from lending institutions, contains several important priorities for the nation's 3,068 counties. Several provisions added to the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 to encourage its passage address legislation NACo has been fighting for during the 110th Congress.

The act reauthorizes the Secure Rural Schools program through 2011; funds the Payment in Lieu of Taxes program through 2012; extends expiring production tax credits for wind, solar and geothermal projects; continues for two more years the deduction of state and local sales taxes on federal returns; and requires insurance companies to cover mental health and addiction treatment on par with physical healthcare.

"Counties are facing a serious financial crisis not seen in many years as a result of shrinking revenues, record-high gas and energy prices, and, more recently, a municipal credit crunch, which is making it extremely difficult and more expensive for counties to borrow money," NACo Executive Director Larry Naake said in a statement.

"While the complete solution for the crisis that counties are facing is not contained in the financial rescue package, it will be a big first step toward financial stability for communities."

 Surviving in Hard Times

Not everyone involved in the construction and real estate market has been unable to survive, and even prosper, despite the grim economic news.

Houston-based Comfort Systems USA, which installs and services HVAC systems, announced substantial increases in both revenues and profits over the third quarter of last year, in the teeth of the financial downturn.

What’s their secret? Chief executive William Murdy told the press that the company had purposely “piled up a lot of cash” in order to make it through the tight lending environment that seemed to be on the horizon.

The company has also prospered by focusing on markets that are less tied to the ups and downs of the private sector economy – schools, the military and the health care field.

U.S. Needs Better Coordinated Policy on Mold, GAO Says
by Tom Scarlett

The Government Accountability Office – the investigative arm of the U.S. Congress – has concluded that while current federal research activities on indoor mold address important health-related issues to varying degrees, these activities are largely uncoordinated within and across government agencies, making them much less effective than they could be.

“This limited coordination contributes to the lack of standardized, quantitative methods for measuring exposure to mold that has impeded the advancement of knowledge about health effects and may result in unnecessary duplication of research efforts,” the GAO said.

“As a result, the public may not be sufficiently aware of the health risks they or their family members are facing due to mold exposure,” the agency added.

The report – “Indoor Mold: Better Coordination of Research on Health Effects and More Consistent Guidance Would Improve Federal Efforts (GAO-08-890)" –has been in the works for more than two years. The report was commissioned by Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), who chairs the Senate committee on health issues.

With political observers saying that the Democrats are likely to increase their Senate majority on Election Day, the report seems likely to be highly relevant to any action taken by next year’s Congress on the mold issue, especially if the lawmakers have a Democratic administration to work with.

Kennedy asked the GAO to determine (1) what recent reviews of scientific literature have concluded about the health effects of exposure to indoor mold; (2) the extent to which federal research addresses data gaps related to the health effects of exposure to indoor mold; and (3) the guidance key federal agencies are providing to the general public on the health risks of exposure to mold, minimizing mold growth, and mitigating exposure to mold, and the extent to which the guidance is consistent.

No Uniform Standards

Although federal agencies are engaged in a number of efforts to address indoor mold, there are no federal or generally accepted health-based standards for safe levels of mold in the air or on surfaces. According to EPA officials, the lack of federal regulation of airborne concentrations of mold indoors is largely due to the insufficiency of data needed to establish a scientifically defensible health-based standard.

The 65 ongoing federal research activities on the health effects of exposure to indoor mold conducted or sponsored by EPA, HHS, and HUD address to varying extents 15 gaps in scientific data reported by the Institute of Medicine in 2004.

 These gaps relate to the need to better define any association between a wide range of specific potential adverse health effects and exposure to indoor mold. Of the 65 research activities, the GAO found, nearly 60 percent address asthma, and more than half address measurement methods—that is, sampling and exposure assessment methods for indoor mold.

Some other important data gaps are being minimally addressed, the GAO concluded.

 For example, five of the 65 research activities examine the effects of human exposure to molds that produce toxins that may cause a number of adverse health effects, and only one relates to acute pulmonary hemorrhage in infants—a rare but life-threatening condition that may be caused by exposure to mold.

 Further, identifying and coordinating research priorities, and efforts to achieve them, “are particularly important given the wide range of research needs identified by the Institute of Medicine, the number of federal entities involved in conducting research on mold, and limited federal resources.”

 However, federal officials reported to the investigators that fewer than half of their ongoing research activities have involved coordination either with other units in their agencies or other federal agencies. For example, of the 36 ongoing research activities related to sampling and measurement methods, only 14 are being coordinated to some extent. Further, in many cases, research activities were only coordinated within the agency conducting or sponsoring the research. Moreover, although the Federal Interagency Committee on Indoor Air Quality could provide a structured mechanism for coordinating research activities, it does not serve this function.

“That is, instead of selecting specific topics and tasks to advance scientific knowledge in the area of indoor air quality—such as reviewing and prioritizing agencies’ ongoing and planned research in particular areas—the agendas for the committee meetings are largely driven by the interests of the agencies’ individual committee representatives,” the report noted.

Inadequate Guidance

 A majority of the 32 guidance documents reviewed by GAO, issued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, EPA, FEMA, HHS, and HUD, describe some common adverse health effects, such as asthma attacks and upper respiratory tract symptoms. However, the guidance documents inconsistently identify some other health effects that may be less common, the GAO found.

Only six of the 32 documents warn that exposure to mold can lead to hypersensitivity pneumonitis, a relatively rare but potentially serious allergic reaction. In addition, most of the guidance documents offer consistent strategies for minimizing the growth of indoor mold—for example, keeping areas dry and promptly addressing moisture sources, such as leaks or spills.

A majority of the documents also address mitigating exposure to indoor mold, including directions for cleaning up mold and protective clothing and equipment to wear while doing so. However, the guidance is somewhat inconsistent about which cleaning agents to use—for example, some documents recommend using bleach, a biocide that is toxic to humans, if the mold growth is due to floodwater; some recommend bleach regardless of the cause of the mold; and others recommend using detergent.

Finally, most of the documents warn that certain populations may be more sensitive to mold than others, but only two provide specific recommendations about the varying levels of protective clothing and equipment (such as gloves, respirators, and eye and skin protection) that such populations should use under various circumstances. As a result of some of these omissions and inconsistencies, the public may be at risk of unnecessary exposure to indoor mold.

To better ensure that federal research on the health effects of exposure to indoor mold is effectively addressing research needs and efficiently using scarce federal resources, GAO recommends that EPA “use the Federal Interagency Committee on Indoor Air Quality to both (1) help guide federal research priorities on the health effects of indoor mold and coordinate information sharing on this topic and (2) help agencies better ensure that their guidance to the public provides sufficient information on health effects of exposure to indoor mold, and how to minimize it, and does not conflict among agencies.”

 GAO provided a draft of its report to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, EPA, FEMA, HHS, and HUD for the agencies’ review and comment. “EPA generally agreed with our recommendations regarding its use of the Federal Interagency Committee on Indoor Air Quality. With the exception of FEMA, the agencies also provided technical comments that we incorporated into the report, as appropriate,” the agency said.

An existing interagency committee—the Federal Interagency Committee on Indoor Air Quality—“could provide an effective vehicle for enhancing the coordination of research activities,” the GAO found.

 As the executive secretary and co-chair, EPA guides the activities of this committee, which was established in response to congressional direction to, among other things, coordinate federal indoor air quality research and foster information sharing among, for example, federal agencies and the public.

“While the committee provides a forum for informal information sharing, it has not been used in recent years to support systematic coordination of federal research priorities or agendas for indoor air research,” the GAO report said.

TSI Acquires Two Companies 

TSI Incorporated, a worldwide leader in measurement technology, announces the acquisition of Adams Instruments and Facility Monitoring Systems Ltd. (FMS).  Adams Instruments is a developer of world leading remote optical particle sensor technology.  FMS is a premier provider of environmental contamination control systems.  Together, these acquisitions will create a diverse line of contamination monitoring solutions to compliment TSI’s line of advanced aerosol instrumentation including the AeroTrak™ handheld, portable and remote particle counters.

TSI’s President, Tom Kennedy stated, “This is the first of several moves that will take TSI to a leadership position within the contamination control and controlled environments markets.  TSI will leverage its global resources and expertise in aerosol science and instrumentation to provide customers with best-in-class instruments, monitoring systems and services.”

Adam Giandomenico, former president of Adams Instruments, has led several manufacturers of optical particle counters and environmental monitoring systems in achieving significant growth for more than 15 years.  Along with the FMS leadership team, Giandomenico will play an important role as TSI expands its presence in the contamination control market.

 TSI Incorporated investigates, identifies and solves measurement problems through the design and production of precision instruments.  TSI partners with research institutions and customers around the world to set the standard for measurements relating to aerosol science, air flow, health and safety, indoor air quality, fluid dynamics and biohazard detection. 

Visit www.tsi.com or

www.fmonsys.com for more information.

New Indoor Air Research

In support of the Canadian government's Clean Air Agenda, NRC-IRC has initiated a major project with the goal to contribute to better occupant health through improved air quality in buildings. The three-pronged activity will study the correlation between ventilation, air quality and health, develop methods to assess technologies that are presumed to improve air quality, and provide a national forum and clearinghouse for decision-makers in government, industry and the consumer marketplace on issues related to indoor air and buildings.

A field study is being carried out in the homes of approximately 100 families with asthmatic children in the Québec City area to improve our understanding of the impact of ventilation and air distribution on indoor air quality in buildings. The physical characteristics of the dwellings, the indoor air quality and the respiratory systems of the children will undergo an initial assessment and, within a two-year period, a follow-up assessment after ventilation is introduced or modified in the houses. This will allow researchers to demonstrate whether there are associations between improved ventilation, indoor air quality and the health of the asthmatic children.

The research will be carried out in partnership with the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ) and support from Health Canada and others. A scientific committee has been created to review and guide the progress till completion.

To support the field study, a new Indoor Air Research Facility has been constructed on the Ottawa Campus of NRC. The facility will be used to optimize the design of modifications to the homes, measure the impact of different strategies and allow testing of technologies that are meant to improve air quality. The facility will be inherently flexible in its configuration allowing a range of house designs to be modeled. Features include variable air tightness, flexible room size and home designs, as well as several types of heating and air-conditioning systems, and heat recovery ventilators.

The project will also review, identify, develop and validate effective protocols , information that will help industry improve air quality technologies and solutions, and how they are installed, used and maintained in buildings. These indoor air quality technologies and solutions will range in scope from residential heat recovery ventilation (HRV) systems to heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC)-mounted air modification systems in commercial buildings. The evaluations will be mostly carried out in the new indoor air research facility. The information generated by this activity could be used to support an eventual rating system for air improvement technologies.

In order to provide guidance to governments, industry and consumers with reliable and unbiased information on solutions and technologies affecting indoor quality in buildings, a new independent national committee is being created. The committee will have representation from the most relevant stakeholder groups from a wide geographical distribution across Canada. The committee should be fully operational in early 2009.

Green Cleaning Poll

A poll released by The Ashkin Group, the professional cleaning industry's leading
organization advocating the use of environmentally preferable cleaning products and sustainability, finds that most respondents believe the United States will place greater emphasis on “green” issues after the upcoming election.

Invitations to take the online survey were included in the October issue of DestinationGreen, the monthly newsletter of
The Ashkin Group distributed to more than 5,000 subscribers.

The respondents included janitorial suppliers and manufacturers, building owners/facility managers, building service contractors, and Jansan distributors and manufacturer's representatives.

When asked which candidate for President would be most supportive of green issues, 52 percent say Senator Barack Obama, while  15 percent give the nod to Senator John McCain. The remainder indicated both would be "about the same" or they were not sure.

As for the new Congress, 68 percent of the respondents say the next Congress will be "more supportive" of green issues,
while only 2 percent say they will be less so. The remainder indicated they were not sure what direction the Congress will take or thought it will be similar to that of the current Congress.

Some of the other findings of the poll:
.    Fifty-two percent believe their own state and local representatives will be more involved in promoting environmentally preferable issues than current legislators
are.
.    Asked whether the United States will play a leadership role in green issues, 24 percent say yes. However, 52 percent believe the United States will "closely
follow" green technologies and developments in Europe and other parts of the world.

"We also asked the respondents to rank which green and sustainable issues will be most actively promoted after the election," says Stephen Ashkin, President of The Ashkin Group and Founder and Executive Director of the Green Cleaning Network. "At the top of the list was green cleaning. I think this is because [the professional
cleaning] industry has played such an outstanding role in developing and promoting the use of environmentally
preferable cleaning products."

Ranked after green cleaning were installing building retrofits that conserve energy and water, developing next-generation biofuels, developing and installing systems that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and developing alternative energy sources.