South Carolina Lawmakers Study Mold Remediation Industry

Mold is a more prominent problem in South Carolina following an increase in flooding in recent years. So, lawmakers are trying to get ahead of the national agencies and set standards for mold remediation in the state.

Laws governing the mold remediation industry differ from state to state. Even though there are mo national standards addressing mold, about a dozen or so states have legislation that deals directly with building codes and remediation education.

And to make matters more confusing, there are no national standards for mold treatment and prevention. In South Carolina, tenants are especially vulnerable. If something happens to cause mold in their apartments, their only choices are to move or to take the landlord to court.

South Carolina deals with repeated flooding due to hurricanes and inclement weather. Of course, this huge amount of water invariably causes serious mold concerns and the need for qualified technician to handle mold problems.

Destruction and health issues related to mold are common in businesses and government building. Schools are frequently in the news with teachers and parents complaining of mold-related health issues. It is not clear yet whether schools are included in the mold law recommendations.

No State or Federal Laws for Mold Remediation

In South Carolina, no state agency regulates the remediation of mold. Lawmakers are taking a concentrated look at the industry. The Mold Abatement and Remediation Study Committee is in charge of this study. But experts who spoke to the members say mold is an easy issue to identify, but a hard one to address.

Lawmakers plan to develop best practices for the industry to prevent people from being scammed. For example, companies who test for mold can not provide remediation. Neither can they perform construction repairs.

The committee has until December 31, 2019 to submit a report to the General Assembly. But, no outcome is available at this time.

Written by Jason Raven for WIS New 10. Click here for the full article.

Author: Carolyn Willbanks