BUSINESS-PLACES and individuals stand the chance of winning attractive prizes while increasing their knowledge about mold as local company, H&L Environmental Services Ltd., observes Mold Awareness Month this September.
Designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Mold Awareness Month is used to inform, educate and raise awareness about the adverse health effects caused by exposure to indoor molds. For the past three years, H&L Environmental Services Ltd., the only IICRC certified mold remediation company in the Region, has been spreading the word about the impacts of mold.
“Our company has always been in the forefront of creating awareness of mold on the island,” says H&L Environmental Services Ltd.’s Managing Director, Millines Herman. “Sometimes we know about mold, but are not conscious of what they really are; hence the reason the initiatives we’re undertaking this month.”
Through infomercials and daily tips that will be posted on the company’s website www.hnles.com and social media platforms, H&L Environmental Services Ltd. hopes to make people aware of the deadly consequences that can result from mold infestation, a common phenomenon in many local edifices. The company will also host a webinar towards the end of the month that deals with the topic of “Poor Ventilation and Mold”.
“We want people to be cognizant that mold should have the same emphasis placed on it as does COVID-19, especially the impact it has on our health. We want people to know that mold can be everywhere. The real issue is how prevalent mold is in the indoor environment compared to the outdoor environment,” Herman explained.
The most common type of mold in Saint Lucia is Aspergillus, one of the most clinically significant mold types because of its ability to penetrate both the upper and lower respiratory tracts. Among the diseases associated with Aspergillus is Aspergillosis, a pneumonia-type infection.
Some forms of cancers have also been associated with it because some of them produce an aflatoxin, which is listed as a known carcinogen. However, the symptoms and diseases associated with mold are vast.
“Our bodies usually tell us what effects mold has on us,” Herman noted. “Sometimes when we are indoors, we tend to suffer from headaches, stuffy nose, lightheadedness or flu-like symptoms. These are signs that you might be in a mold-infested building.”
This year, the company is observing Mold Awareness Month under the theme, “Poor Ventilation and Mold”. Herman advised that the better the ventilation in an environment, the lesser the chances of a mold infestation.
For Mold Awareness Month, the company has designed two promotions. The first one is targeted at business-places which get a chance to win a deluxe deep clean. It’s very simple: all you need to do is, with management’s permission, post a creative and entertaining video of three minutes or less in length stating indirectly why your company needs a deep clean. The videos are to be sent to H&L Environmental Services Ltd. with the deadline for submission being Friday, September 24, and the winner will be announced on October 1. (One entry per company).
The second promotion is targeted at individuals who get the chance to win a Meaco 2-in-1 12-litre dehumidifier and air purifier. This device removes excess moisture from the indoor air and the preferred level of humidity can be adjusted. It comes with a HEPA filter and can also be used as an air purifier. Persons simply need to follow the company’s social media platforms daily where daily tips about mold will be posted.
On September 27, the company will also release a quiz online based on the daily tips. Persons have until September 30 to participate and the winner will be announced the following week. Keep checking our Facebook and Instagram pages and website for updated information.
“Mold Awareness Month falls smack in the middle of the rainy season when there is high humidity, and that’s the time we find more incidents of people complaining about mold,” says Lindsey Joseph, the company Sales and Marketing Representative. “Mold needs moisture and humidity to grow. It’s our job to ensure this does not happen.”