Leading Experts Urge Mississippi River Flood-Affected Homeowners Not to Use Bleach...

Leading Experts Urge Mississippi River Flood-Affected Homeowners Not to Use
Bleach to Clean and Prevent Mold Damage
Proper Steps Include Using EPA-Registered Mold & Mildew Products To Avoid
Widespread Post-Katrina-Type Loss

ABITA SPRINGS, La., July 22 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Organization of
Remediators and Mold Inspectors (NORMI), a not-for-profit cooperative of mold
experts and professionals, is urging owners of residential and commercial
properties affected by Mississippi River flooding not to use household bleach
to remove potentially harmful mold and mildew from water-damaged surfaces.
While bleach may temporarily remove the discoloration caused by mold, the
organization said only EPA-registered mold and mildew products labeled as a
cleaner, disinfectant, fungicide and/or mildewstat are truly effective at
killing the micro-flora that can enable mold to grow, and make property
potentially uninhabitable.
Rising mid-Summer temperatures and humidity, and flood-soaked materials of
virtually all kinds are a perfect storm for likely rapid mold growth and its
attendant effects on air quality and health. Widespread recommended use of
bleach alone in post-Katrina New Orleans is believed to have had devastatingly
negative effects on owners' and renters' abilities to reclaim their homes,
because of bleach's inability to prevent mold and mildew re-growth.
"The bottom line is this -- as research and hard experience have proven,
bleach does not kill the organism at its root and can promote mold growth,
allowing re-growth. While bleach is effective as an everyday quick, cosmetic
fix, bleach is not the thing to use in heavy-duty situations where preventing
re-growth may be critical to short- and long-term habitability," said Douglas
Hoffman, Executive Director of NORMI. "No one wants to see another
post-Katrina situation along the Mississippi River, so we want to leave no
doubt about these facts--bleach is simply not effective for controlling mold
problems."
NORMI has devoted part of its website to information links Mississippi
River-affected property owners can follow to find local mold remediation
resources, and commercial- and consumer-grade products that are EPA-registered
mold and mildew disinfectants effective at killing mold and preventing its
re-growth. "Products like Moldex Disinfectant, Anabec, and BacShield, as
examples, are strongly recommended for those who are wanting products that
really work," continued Hoffman. "We encourage consumers to become
label-readers, study the ingredients, look at the testing data, and evaluate
the company claims to be sure you are using safe, greener technologies."
For information on flood clean-up, how and where to access federal
disaster assistance and on mold cleaning or remediation information, please
visit www.NORMI.org or call 877.251.2296
NORMI Executive Director Douglas Hoffman is available for interview about
proper mold removal in flooded areas. Contact Rob Bratskeir at 646-498-0049 or
rbratskeir@360publicrelations.com.
SOURCE The National Organization of Remediators and Mold Inspectors

Rob Bratskeir of 360 Public Relations, +1-646-498-0049,
rbratskeir@360publicrelations.com