class actio n lawsuit black mold colorado

#CLASS ACTIO N LAWSUIT BLACK MOLD COLORADO TRIAL#

While it’s extremely difficult to tell what type of mold is present without testing by a certified professional, some species commonly known as “black mold” are Stachybotrys chartarum (aka S. For example, there are over 100,000 mold species. Similar situations can be found in dozens of prisons, jails and detention facilities at any given time.ĭespite widespread incidents of dangerous mold exposure, there is still confusion about specific health risks associated with mold. She said a guard even begged her to complain to authorities about the mold problem – as the guard feared she would be punished if she did so herself. The vent was supposed to pump fresh air into her 6-by-10 foot concrete room, but instead the mold made her life unbearable.

#CLASS ACTIO N LAWSUIT BLACK MOLD COLORADO TRIAL#

The EPA released a fact sheet as early as 1991 describing SBS as a way to “describe situations in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified,” and BRI as a term for “when symptoms of diagnosable illness are identified and can be attributed directly to airborne building contaminants.”įor those who are serving time in prison or jail, this is sadly familiar.ĭuring much of her three years awaiting trial at the Rikers Island jail complex in New York City, Candie Hailey explained to an Intercept reporter that she was locked in a cell ventilated by a mold-covered air duct. This is not a new phenomenon it has been a source of concern for governmental entities such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the subject of numerous class-action lawsuits over several decades.Īccording to the EPA, mold is one of the most common biological contaminants responsible for Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) or Building Related Illness (BRI), both caused in part by “contaminants that may breed in stagnant water accumulated in ducts, humidifiers and drain pans, or where water has collected on ceiling tiles, carpeting, or insulation.” The chronic presence of mold is frequently a component of what is referred to as Tight Building Syndrome or Sick Building Syndrome – terms that have been coined to describe a relatively new occupational health and safety problem for people who work or spend excessive amounts of time indoors.

Exposure to mold infestations is another environmental concern for prisoners. Over the past several years, Prison Legal News has focused attention on environmental health impacts that prisoners face, including from extreme heat, hurricanes and other natural disasters, and contaminated water. “There was big, dark, gray, blackish mildew around the air vent and that’s where the air was coming from … it smelled like death.” – Candie Hailey, Rikers Island pre-trial detainee

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Class actio n lawsuit black mold colorado