Mold Contamination Forces Florida Elementary School to Close

According to The Gainesville Sun, Starke Elementary School in Bradford County, Florida has been closed due to mold and fungus contaminations. The five hundred students who attend the school will be sent to alternate schools in the area or other locations until the issue is resolved.

The school has reportedly experienced mold issues since it was built sixteen years ago. After an increasing number of issues this summer, the superintendent had an air quality test performed on the building. Test results revealed a high level of mold and other fungi in the building and stated that the building should not be occupied.

On Thursday, architects and engineers evaluated the mold issue in the school and will begin to develop a solution.

Mold exposure may result in allergic reactions, during which fever, asthma, and irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, or lungs may occur. Also, those with health problems or a weak immune system may develop respiratory or other infections.

 “Mold can often be detected by sight or smell, but it is not always visible to the naked eye and should be confirmed by testing,” states Dr. Jason Dobranic, EMSL’s Vice President of Microbiology & Life Sciences. “EMSL Analytical, one of the nation’s largest mold testing labs, operates numerous accredited laboratories across the United States, including three locations in Florida, that provide advanced testing services to detect mold in air and environmental samples.”

For more information on EMSL’s testing services, please contact EMSL at (800) 220-3675, visit  www.EMSL.com , or email  info@EMSL.com .

About EMSL Analytical, Inc.
EMSL Analytical, Inc. is a full service testing company providing quality lab services under the same private ownership since 1981. Including the corporate lab facility in Cinnaminson, NJ, EMSL Analytical operates over thirty laboratories nationwide in the US and Canada. We provide analytical services for environmental, indoor air quality (IAQ), industrial hygiene, forensics, materials science, consumer products, food safety, PCR, pharmaceutical, asbestos, lead, and radiological samples. The company has an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations, as well as state and federal regulating bodies. Please see our website for a complete listing of accreditations.

Contact Information

Joseph Frasca

Senior Vice President of Marketing

EMSL Analytical

(1) 1-800-220-3675

jfrasca@emsl.com