Resolution 050772

..Title Authorizing the Committee on Labor and Civil Service to hold public hearings to investigate the prevalence and problem of mold and further investigate ways to set standards to help the citizens of The City of Philadelphia with mold and mold remediation. ..Body WHEREAS, In order to reproduce, molds produce tiny spores and these spores waft through the indoor and outdoor air continually; and WHEREAS, Molds can be found almost anywhere and can grow on virtually any substance such as wood, paper, carpet and foods, providing moisture is present; and WHEREAS, When excessive moisture or water accumulates indoors such as after a leak or flooding, mold growth will often occur, particularly if the moisture problem remains undiscovered or un-addressed; and WHEREAS, Mold in schools, places of employment, construction sites and homes has been shown to adversely affect the health of children, workers and senior citizens as well as workers who working on a job site; and WHEREAS, Potential health effects and symptoms associated with mold exposures include allergic reactions, asthma, and other respiratory complaints; and WHEREAS, The adverse health effects of exposure to molds on the general population and the specific effects of mold on certain subpopulations, including infants, children, the elderly, pregnant women, asthmatics, allergic individuals, immune-comprised individuals, and construction site workers are resulting in illness and increased medical costs; and WHEREAS, The Laborers Associated General Contractors (AGC)/The Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA) have been at the forefront of Microbial Remediation because of the nature of the work and its similarities to other types of environmental remediation such as lead or asbestos abatement or hazardous waste remediation; and WHEREAS, Schools, including Temple University offer classes in a wide arrange of topics dealing with Microbial Remediation; and WHEREAS, Insurance costs in over 20 States have risen dramatically due to claims relating to mold in homes, businesses, and schools; and WHEREAS, The State of California has passed an Act regulating mold in indoor environments, including residential homes and places of employment; and WHEREAS, The Department of Health of the City of New York has also adopted standards regulating mold exposure; and WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia does not have any guidelines or standards for testing nor for the removal of mold in schools, places of employment, construction sites and homes; now therefore RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the Committee on Labor and Civil Service is authorized to hold public hearings to investigate the prevalence and problem of mold and to further investigate ways to set standards to help the citizens of The City of Philadelphia with mold and mold remediation. ..End