Tampa Tribune
By BRAD SMITH
 
 
TAMPA - Florida's indoor air quality problems are widespread, authorities say in response to questions about ``sick building syndrome'' since a Tampa woman died recently with symptoms of Legionnaires' disease.

Calls for help are mounting at state and federal agencies, data show.

From 2001 to 2004, the Hillsborough County Health Department saw annual complaints about indoor air quality rise from 226 to 357. Most were residential. The top culprit? Mold.

``We're in a subtropical environment, and that's conducive to mold growth,'' said Gregg Rottler, environmental supervisor with the department.

Most people have little or no reaction when exposed to most of the contaminants that can infect buildings. Yet for decades, authorities say, public concern has increased significantly, prompted by greater awareness of how indoor air can make people sick.

At the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, investigations of indoor air quality have increased to 52 percent of all requests for help since the late 1970s.

A trend toward construction of sealed buildings is seen as a key factor in the rise of complaints. Windows that don't open, high humidity and mold growth are among the ingredients for sore throats and headaches, fevers and chills, tight chests, dizziness and wheezing that often afflict sufferers.

Mold, pollen, dust mites, bird droppings and fungal spores festering in walls or ceilings can ruin indoor air. It also can be damaged by chemicals from adhesives, carpets, upholstery, copy machines, pesticides or cleaning agents.
Building exhausts and plumbing vents also can play a part.

``Any time you have a building with uncontrolled moisture getting in, whether from a leaky roof or faulty plumbing, that can lead to types of conditions that are conducive to mold growth and other problems,'' said Mary Ann Latko of the American Industrial Hygiene Association.

``Keeping the building in good condition is the critical thing people look at when they're trying to improve indoor air quality,'' she said.

Current Concerns
In Tampa, questions have swirled around a former grocery store leased by the federal government at 11613 N. Nebraska Ave. The building reopened Tuesday after employees were told to stay home as a precautionary measure Jan. 14.

Government investigators, including a crew from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, are examining the building that houses administrative and other offices for the nearby James A. Haley VA Medical Center.
An employee who died Jan. 10 tested positive for Legionella antigen, indicating a past or present infection of the serious respiratory illness known as Legionnaires' disease.

Although the bacterium has not been traced to the building, Haley officials have expressed concern about ``sick building syndrome,'' according to medical records from the case.

Three other workers have been hospitalized or treated for respiratory problems, and 18 of almost 170 employees have filed workers' compensation claims against Haley. They say the building has a history of leaks, other flaws and inadequate repairs.

The Tampa company that owns the property denies the building is ``sick.'' Logan Associates issued a statement last week acknowledging roof leaks but saying those have been ``difficult to find when the occasions for occurrence [rain driven by high winds] rarely occur for long enough periods to investigate during this time of year.''

Public Problems
Suspicion of ``sick'' government buildings is nothing new. Six federal courthouses in Florida, including two in Tampa, were diagnosed with the problem as recently as 2001.

A government report said contaminated courthouses in Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Orlando and Ocala harbored mold, fungi and exhaust fumes. Tampa's 1902 courthouse was declared unfit for habitation because of high levels of contaminants.

Now vacant, that courthouse was turned over to the city a year ago and is targeted for private redevelopment.
Concerns were voiced that Tampa's 17-story replacement courthouse was contaminated by mold when files and furniture from the old building were transferred in 1998. The newer building operates normally today, however, and the U.S. General Services Administration reports no more complaints.

In the 1990s, a Polk County courthouse had to be closed and rebuilt for $40 million after a massive cleanup.

Private Concerns
While skeptics may scoff that only government structures seem to become ``sick buildings,'' officials say the situation is common among private residences.

Nationally, more than 21 million people in 1.4 million buildings are affected by indoor respiratory problems each year, according to federal environmental data.

Florida's high humidity, frequent rains and omnipresent air conditioning all can contribute to the situation, especially when air-conditioning systems are dirty or poorly drained.

In the Tampa area, Rottler said, calls may be increasing because people are more conscious of the problem, not necessarily because air quality is deteriorating.

``We all breathe in mold spores,'' he said. ``Some are sensitive, and those who are will typically experience allergy-type symptoms like sneezing and sinus congestion.''

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