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National Environmental Health Association

Montgomery County, Maryland Indoor Air Quality Program. National Environmental Health Association Indoor Air Quality Workshop February 18 – 20,2004 Washington, DC. DEP – Division of Environmental Policy and Compliance (DEPC). Field Indoor Environments Noise Air

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National Environmental Health Association

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  1. Montgomery County, Maryland Indoor Air Quality Program National Environmental Health Association Indoor Air Quality Workshop February 18 – 20,2004Washington, DC

  2. DEP – Division of Environmental Policy and Compliance (DEPC) • Field • Indoor Environments • Noise • Air • Pollution Prevention & Brownfields • Stormwater • Energy

  3. Indoor Environments Program • Compliance • Public Outreach and Education

  4. RADON Pesticides Integrated Pest Management Program Inititiatives Environmental Asthma Triggers Indoor Painting Practices Carbon Monoxide Indoor Mold

  5. Compliance Local Executive Ordinances Chapter 3 Air/Indoor Air Quality Chapter 33-B Pesticides

  6. Basic Language of Chapter 3 • Section 3.10 Control and prohibition of indoor air pollution. • (a) A person must not cause or allow the emission of indoor air pollutants beyond the person’s property line in a manner that creates indoor air pollution. • (b) subsection (a) does not apply to: The residential use of personal hygiene products; Smoking in non-restricted areas; or Residential cooking odors.

  7. Chapter 3 Continued - Property Line Defined: • “Property line” means the boundary of a residential or non-residential area that a person legally uses or owns. For a property divided into more than one legal unit, such as multi-family housing or a multi-tenant commercial property, “property line” also includes any boundary between a unit and a common area or between units. Slide 5 of 12

  8. A Common IAQ Occurrence

  9. Who Would be Affected? • Some Examples: • A car repair shop is next to a day care enter and fumes from the paint spray booth are entering the day care center. • A nail salon is next to an office and fumes from the nail salon are entering the neighboring offices. • A tenant in an apartment building is concerned with visible mold growth on the interior surfaces of the unit caused by water damage due to a roof leak. Slide 5 of 12

  10. Montgomery County’s Indoor Air Quality Strategy … • Typical examples Slide 7 of 12

  11. Strategy Continued- • DEPs IAQ enforcement is complaint driven. Therefore, when we receive a complaint that falls within our jurisdiction, DEP will: • Perform a preliminary investigation that includes, interviews, IAQ testing with appropriate meters, and ventilation testing. • If DEPs preliminary investigation reveals a problem, we will require that the facility perform further monitoring, utilizing a professional industrial hygiene firm, and submit a corrective action plan to DEP for approval. • If the facility fails to comply, DEP has the ability to issue citations and proceed with enforcement actions.

  12. Guidance Documents

  13. SURVEY ENCOUNTER METER FOR MEASURING MOISTURE IN WOOD, DRY-WALL, PLASTER, BRICK, ROOFING, SIDING AND OTHER CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS Mold … Instrumentation Tramex Survey Encounter

  14. Additional Tools … Indoor Air Quality Building Education and Assessment Model (I-BEAM) Software What is I-BEAM? I-BEAM is computer software for use by building professionals and others interested in indoor air quality in commercial buildings.

  15. The Second Aspect of Our Program and the MOST EMPHASIZED is Public Outreach MOLD Developing a Local Community Program

  16. Why Develop a Public Outreach Program for Indoor Mold? To Educate the Public on Sane Approaches to Handling Mold.

  17. Developing a Successful Public Outreach Program Things to Consider… • Conduct information needs analysis • Who is most at risk? • What do they need to know? • Determine Goals/Objectives • Determine what you are trying to accomplish. • Identify an intended or “target” audience • Who needs this information? • What public outreach materials will be needed to reach your target audience? • Identify partnerships • Are there other agencies and organizations with similar interests? • Develop overall theme/message • The theme will be the overall approach that sets the tone for the outreach program. Example: Mold – The Fungus Among Us! Slide 12 of 12

  18. Conduct information needs analysis • DEP receives over 3,000 indoor air related inquiries per year. Over half are mold related. Determine Goals/Objectives • Educate our Residents on Sane Approaches to Mold. Identify an intended or “target” audience • Residents, Property Mangers, Business Owners and Operators Sept. 17th 2002 edition of the Washington Post

  19. Identify partnerships • Child Care Resource Center, Public Schools,Health Department, Housing Authority, Building Officials, Park and Recreational Centers, Community and Homeowner Associations, Realtors, Property Managers, EPA and NACo.

  20. Aspects of DEP’s Public Outreach Campaign- Mold • Development of fact sheets • Responding to telephone inquiries

  21. Dissemination of the information… Mass Mailings to County Agencies Colorful Newspaper Ads Health Fairs

  22. Use of DEP’s Website Potential Sources of Water Intrusion DEP's Mold House Slide 6 of 12

  23. DEP’s County Cable Station

  24. Additional Ideas Create a Healthy Indoor Air Action Kit using FREE EPA Documents

  25. Lessons Learned Be prepared! We didn’t anticipate the volume of calls and requests for information concerning mold. We Need to Focus More Activities on Mold Prevention.

  26. A Few Things to Remember… • Educate your residents. • Network! • Partner with County Agencies and other interested parties. • Use EPA Documents • Make information easily accessible to your residents • And finally, • Develop a Website

  27. Indoor Air Quality and Mold Resources Montgomery County, MD Department of Environmental Protection www.ASKDEP.com Montgomery County Executive Ordinance Search for Chapter 3 and Chapter 33-B http://www.amlegal.com/montgomery_county_md/ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Indoor Air Quality – Mold/Moisture/Mildew www.epa.gov/iaq/molds

  28. Parting Thoughts…Mushrooms Should Not Grow in Your Buildings Slide 12 of 12

  29. If They Do, Water is in Your Walls

  30. THANK YOU! Michele Courville 240.777.7757 michele.courville@montgomerycountymd.gov

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