COMMENTS ON TIP’S MOLD REMEDIES HANDOUT

 

From:  A Research Scientist (Name withheld by request)

Date:            Sat, 8 Nov 2003 5:56 AM

To:  "Toxics Information Project (TIP)" <liberty@toxicsinfo.org>

Subject:       Thank You for the Nov.3, 2003 Meeting

 

Dear Liberty:

 

    Thank you for the well presented meeting of November third this week at the Kingston Free Library .  It was informative and useful. As a small business owner, and concerned with personal immune response challenges of this work place, I collected  your recommendations for mold control at this meeting and implemented it that evening.

 

    The use of TEATREE OIL  and CITRUS CLEANER were effective.

 

    Mold has been a very nearly continuous challenge to this organization as we work in the near shore environment.  Since 1986, as the associate to the director of a marine program, and then founder and director of my own research company; I have found mold is a problem.  It wrecks gear, spoils provisions, invades living spaces and wastes time.

 

    Chlorine mixtures have been the traditional surfactant.  This is a more

toxic and destructive procedure than many of us were willing to put up with.  A visitor to the facility had cancelled a trip this year due to the practice of our using chlorine to control bacteria and mold.

 

    Just recently, the refrigeration unit here was pulled from the wall for unscheduled maintenance.  It was mold city.  The design of the fridge provided for the defrost overflow to be vaporized by the heat of the compressor with the result that moisture was deposited on the walls and floor around the fridge.  Savage outgrowth: it was the mold that roared.

 

    After reducing the bio-mass with paper towels, swabbing up damp residue, and scraping up "goop", the mixtures described in the bulletins from TIP were sent in.  Mold away!

 

    Plans are now being implemented to re-route the defrost overflow tubing directly into the sink drain tail piece. The mixtures for mold control that are described as possessing a very nearly indefinite shelf  life will be included into the chemical inventory of the facility.

 

    I wish we had these back in the days when our diving locker, rubber equipment, and underwater breathing gear were in need of cleaning.