Leaders with Horry County Schools say there are still mold issues at St. James Elementary.
On Tuesday, News13 obtained a copy of an e-mail sent to parents. It says that the school district received the indoor air quality report from the re-test that was performed on Monday, February 18, by Palmetto EHS, LLC.
School leaders say the test was done for the Reading Room and Room E100. The results concluded that mold spores were not amplified in the Reading Room. However, district leaders say Aspergillus/Penicillium mold spores were still amplified in Room E100.
The school system went on to say that although the levels were not considered dangerous, it did indicate the presence of an indoor source of Aspergillus/Penicillium that needed to be removed.
The following recommendations were made by Palmetto EHS, LLC, for Room E100:
- Students should remain relocated until recommendations and re-testing are completed (students have been temporarily placed in a portable classroom since Friday, February 15).
- A wooden cabinet, cardboard boxes, and paper should be removed from the room. The only items left in the room should be metal or plastic, which can easily be cleaned.
- All ceiling tiles should be removed from the room, disposed of properly, and replaced. The District should have the appropriate personnel (plumbing, HVAC, or roofing as needed) inspect the area above the ceiling tiles to ensure there are no leaks, no source of water intrusion, no mold growth, and no stains. If leaks are found, the District should ensure they are corrected. If mold or stains are found, the District should ensure that it is remediated. If wet insulation is found, it should be disposed of immediately.
- All of the surfaces (walls, floors, furniture, doors, shelves, desks, chairs, etc) should be thoroughly cleaned and dried with a District-approved antimicrobial cleaning agent. This should be cleaning of any HVAC supply diffusers and return vents. This cleaning should be performed by a qualified mold remediation company (This work will be conducted by a qualified mold remediation company on Saturday, March 2 and will also include above-the-ceiling cleaning, i.e., pipes, truss work, grids, etc.).
- Once the cleaning has concluded, HVAC filters and ceiling tiles should be replaced, and a final HEPA vacuum of the room should be completed (HCS Facilities will replace the ceiling tiles).
- HEPA scrubbers must be used in the room during and after the cleaning, using two HEPA scrubbers due to the size of the room. At the conclusion of the cleaning, the air scrubbers should run for at least 3 days and remain in place until follow-up testing is performed.
- Follow-up air testing should be performed following the cleaning. The room must remain unoccupied until test results are received.
School leaders say another re-test for Room E100 is scheduled for the week of March 4, again by Palmetto EHS, LLC, pending weather conditions.
News13 has been following mold concerns at St. James Elementary for weeks now.
Recently, state lawmakers have pushed for mold reform in public buildings and schools.
Click back for updates on this developing story.
