Long time health inspector and environmental health specialist Dan Pauluk was literally eaten alive from the inside out by toxic mold, aspergillus and stachybotrys. According to his death certificate, he died from mixed mold micotoxicosis, a medical term meaning mold poisoning.

There were water leaks over his desk; in the Health District’s main auditorium parts of the ceiling collapsed. The roof design channeled water back into the existing roof which was never repaired.

The Pauluk family has an ongoing lawsuit with evidence dating back to 1998; the Health District’s own studies show the presence of mold in the building and the need for remediation.

“The regulations state that you will vacate the building, remove all occupants and then relocate them to another building and that no one will go back in that building without a full respirator and a moon suit and it will be cleaned up according to EPA standards.”

In 2004, Dan requested to be be relocated away from the building until the mold was addressed. Nine months supervisors noted another roof leak over Dan’s desk.
His doctor sent letters saying his illness “is a natural conclusion of his exposure to the toxic mold found present at his workplace.” Dan was never relocated away from the mold.

Dan still was not moved.

On July 17, 2007, 12 noon Dan was pronounced dead. The federal lawsuit that says the Southern Nevada Health District failed to protect their own employees in their own building may be continuing for a long time.

The New York State Toxic Mold Task Force convened in Manhattan for a daylong meeting on economic and health impacts associated with mold. Concerned about adverse health effects connected to mold, demonstrators gathered outside the meeting, upset that they had been blocked from attending the open meeting. (The demonstrators said they had registered to attend, but were told there was no record of their having done so.)

In 2007, the New York State Toxic Mold Task Force prepared a report for the governor and the Legislature, it’s first act, though it has been in existence since 2005.

Speaking on behalf of his department, task force member (research scientist with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene) Christopher D’Andrea presented an update on guidelines on how to find and get rid of mold.

New York received about 20,000 mold complaints each year and issued 14,000 citations. Professional remediators in appropriate protective gear were recommended in places where mold has spread over 100 square feet.

In the afternoon session, witnesses described their experiences, both professional and personal, with mold. New research was presented that associated mold with other disorders, from asthma, to depression and neurological conditions.