A B O R I G I N A L I N S U R A N C E S E R V I C E S

E N V I R O N M E N T A L C L E A N I N G A N D M O U L D R E M E D I A T I O NP R O G R A M

© Aboriginal Insurance Services, 2017

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A 2013 research paper prepared by researchers at the University of Victoria, “Mould Growth in On-Reserve Homes in Canada: the Need for Research, Education, Pol icy, and Funding”, establ ished that nearly half of the homes on reserves contain mould at levels of contamination associated with high rates of respiratory and other i l lnesses to residents. A 2013 Fact Sheet issued by the Assembly of First Nations, ”First Nations Housing On-Reserve”, disclosed that 50.9% of First Nation adults reported mould and mildew present in their homes and that 43.5% of adults with asthma and 52% of those with chronic bronchit is are l iv ing with mould in their homes. The prevai l ing 30% plus higher costs of bui lding materials endemic to First Nations similarly appl ies to mould remediation services which tend to be prohibit ive when contractor surcharges ( including travel costs) are included.

Taking into consideration the pervasiveness of the mould problem, the inf lated remedial costs and the adverse health consequences and associated health care costs, a more effect ive and economical ly eff ic ient approach is urgently required. This Applicat ion pertains to an alternative approach to mould remediation and management by the development of self-suff ic iency though the training and cert i f icat ion of First Nations community members to provide regional and national mould remediation services on-reserve.

A C R I S I S F A C I N G C A N A D I A N S

M O U L D I N H O U S I N G

General Health Problems

Cleaning/Repair Costs

Loss of Business

$ 4 Bi l l ion

$ 8 Bi l l ion

$44 Bi l l ion

C O S T S O F M O U L D I N C A N A D A

= $60 Bi l l ion

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Due to the energy crisis of the 1970’s, building construction techniques changed. Buildings, homes, and retail or commercial locations became more airtight to prevent warm air from escaping through windows and doors in the winter. Windows became more energy efficient to let natural light inside, but they did not open, blocking any fresh air. Unfortunately while buildings were more temperature controlled, the new requirements allowed pockets of moist air to become trapped indoors for longer periods of time – creating a perfect environment for mould growth.

Natural building materials changed from stone and wood to paper materials like drywall, wallpaper, insulation, fibreboard, and ceiling tiles – thus giving mould the perfect place to grow. Previously reported cases of toxic black mould had been outdoors and primarily related to agriculture, but the new construction methods allowed toxic black mould to move indoors.

The most popular places mould grows inside a home or building are walls, ceilings, windows, floors, furniture, insulation, air ducts, clothes, and especially, basements, bathrooms, and kitchens. In Canada, most mould growth is found in basements, crawl spaces, bathrooms and on cold exterior walls. Mould grows in places with a lot of moisture, especially around leaks in roofs, windows, pipes, or where there has been flooding. It can also grow in hidden areas where water may have seeped-through, like wall cavities, basement sub-floors and crawl spaces.

For some people, even a brief encounter with mould can cause adverse health effects. The more severe the allergy, the more severe the reaction, including fever and shortness of breath. Some compounds produced by moulds, known as microbial Volatile Organic Compounds, or mVOCs, are released directly into the air.

Out of several hundred-thousand species of moulds, sixteen different species are known to release mycotoxins (toxins produced by mould), which are poisonous to humans and animals, causing damage to internal organs, mental impairment, cancer, and even death.

Mould spores can be inhaled, absorbed through the skin, or ingested in food, causing infections in the sinuses, skin, or digestive system. Those who are elderly, sick, or have a compromised or suppressed immune system are more susceptible to mould infections as their immune system may not be strong enough to fight it off.

According to Health Canada, all mould - regardless of the species - be cleaned and removed, and that the underlying moisture problem be dealt with as quickly as possible to prevent potential health issues.

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The act ion of remedying something, in part icular, of reversing or stopping environmental damage.

“REMEDIATION”

Because of the r isk of i l lness and infect ion, the mould inspection and removal industry is now worth bi l l ions of dol lars. A mult i tude of unverif ied and unqual i f ied contractors have popped up, using people ’s fears to charge excessive amounts for mould remediation services.

MOULD REMEDIATION: A BILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY

THEY USE CONFUSING STATEMENTS

Homeowner’s are sold on expensive cleaning methods like soda-blasting (similar to sand-blasting) yet they are not informed that the blasting process is likely to spread mould to other parts of the building, resulting in another mould issue that requires the contractors to return and charge more.

Other confusing elements include product use. Some advocate the use of bleach and chemical cleaners, some refer to using environmentally friendly products like white vinegar or borax to kill mould, while others will claim either of these products leave a film behind that encourages mould growth.

THEY INCREASE HOMEOWNER’S FEARS

While toxic black mould is indeed incredibly dangerous to the health and well being of any person or resident who comes into contact with it, not all black mould is toxic - yet this is what many homeowner’s and building owner’s are led to believe.

Each level of contamination (the size of the mouldy area) directly increases the amount of specialized equipment and safety requirements needed for the clean up process, which directly affects the cost of the job. Not to mention the cost of repairs after the mouldy elements have been cut out or removed from the building.

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COSTS BY SIZE OF CONTAMINATION

The most common method of classification involves costs associated with mould remediation are directly dependant on the size of the mouldy area.

Level 1 Small is considered an area of mould that is less than 1 square metre.

Level 2 Medium is a mouldy area between 1 and 10 square metres (contained within one room).

Level 3 Large, the most expensive and costly remediation job, is considered any area over 10 square metres, or when a remediation job involves more than one room, even if the areas within each room are small.

THE GROWING COSTS OF MOULD REMEDIATION

L E V E L 1 S M A L LA r e a s l e s s t h a n 1 m 2

L E V E L 2 M E D I U MA r e a s 1 m 2 - 1 0 m 2

L E V E L 3 L A R G EA r e a s o v e r 1 0 m 2

$1,500

$5,000

$50,000

OR MORE!

AVERAGE COST

H A Z A R D C L A S S AD a n g e r o u s T o x i c M o u l d

H A Z A R D C L A S S BA l l e r g y C a u s i n g M o u l d

H A Z A R D C L A S S CS t r u c t u r a l l y d a m a g i n g

COSTS BY TYPE OF HAZARD

Some remediation companies also rate the type of mould infestation using a “Hazard” category class.

Hazard Class A is the top category, including toxic moulds that are highly hazardous to health and well being of the occupants. Homes and buildings should not be occupied if this type of mould is found.

Hazard Class B refers to moulds that may cause allergic reactions to occupants.

Hazard Class C is for moulds that do not pose health threats, but may pose structural effects (wood rot) if left untreated.

The remediation industry uses two types of standard classifications to determine their rates.

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I N T R O D U C I N G T H E

E N V I R O N M E N T A LC L E A N I N GP R O G R A M

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Instead of leaving First Nations communities to hire external contractors and face traditional remediation service fees, Aboriginal Insurance Services (AIS) has developed the patented Environmental Cleaning Program (ECP) to train and certify community members to remediate the homes and buildings within their own community.

This program will help communities stretch each dollar through a reduction in time, costs, and labour. Where traditional remediation could leave a home or business sealed off or closed up for weeks or months, the ECP process can take as little as a few hours, depending on the source of contamination and building contents.

The ECP will educate, train, and certify community members in the proper techniques of mould remediation for First Nations. Course attendees will learn how to properly and safely assess then remediate homes and buildings within their own community under the trainer’s supervision.

In traditional remediation processes, areas that are not directly affected by water, moisture, or mould, go untouched, leaving the site prone to re-contamination. Instead of ignoring the potential for future growth, the ECP effectively treats every cubic inch of the entire space, neutralizing all mould, bacteria, toxins, VOC's, and allergens with an efficiency rate of 99.99999%.

This program uses an environmentally friendly disinfecting solution that works against antibiotic resistant bacteria, viruses, fungi, mould and mildew. This product is also very effective against the germs and bacteria that cause colds, flu, food poisoning (Norovirus) and other health risks. Spores, toxins, allergens, and bacteria are neutralized on contact.

Developed using American regulat ions

Canadian instructors fol low US guidel ines and standards

TRADITIONAL COURSES

Average program cost: $950 per student

Plus travel , hotel , airfare, and other expenses

Plus annual renewal costs and other fees

Potential costs of over $4,000

Course duration: 1-2 days

Theory only, in-class or onl ine

No access to real l i fe, in the f ield training

Lit t le or no access to hands-on use of PPE, tools, equipment or containment structures

Mult iple courses required

Only offered in major cit ies, students must travel to at tend

Covers only mould remediation theory

Developed in Canada, by Canadians

Developed in partnership with several Canadian mould abatement special ists

THE ECP

We come to you.

No addit ional expenses.

No addit ional fees.

No addit ional costs.

Course duration: 5 days

2 days class, 2 days on-site, 1 day cert i f icat ion

In the f ield training with instructor supervision

2 days hands-on, on-site training in community bui ldings using containment structures, tools, equipment, and PPE

One inclusive course

Offered to al l F irst Nations across Canada, regardless of remoteness of location

Covers mould, moisture, personal protect ive equipment, and containment.

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The ECP provides education, training, and information to First Nation communities on the entire remediation process. As well as training on how to cost effectively and quickly clean mould from community locations, our program also focuses on how to stop mould before it starts. We help communities understand mould, moisture, and remediation through a patented program developed for First Nations, by First Nations.

Traditional programs segregate mould issues into categories (Level 1, 2, 3) or hazards (A, B, C) and only deal with the infected areas, leaving the homeowner vulnerable to recurring mould problems. The ECP teaches communities how to clean the entire house or building from the start, killing mould spores in the entire location, not just the infected area. We train community members how to find and fix the moisture problem that caused the mould by using real-life examples in actual community buildings.

T H E E C P D I F F E R E N C E

TRADITIONAl MOUlD REMEDIATION EXTRA COSTS ECP COSTS

Pre-inspection - Industrial Hygienist (per room) $150 Not required

Pre-inspection - single room (1 m2) $650 - $800 Not required

Pre-inspection * $1,500 - $2,500 Not required

Exterior Crawlspace $500 - $4,000 Included

Interior - standard 4 piece bathroom $12,000 Included

Interior - attic space and ducts $2,000 - $7,000 Included

Interior - HVAC * $350 - $1,500 Included

After Flooding * $10,000 - $50,000 Included

Relocation - during remediation process (6 weeks) $4,200 (2 days) $200

Clearance Test ** (per room) $500 (per room) $100

* based on set up for small house - 300 m2 / 1000 sq.ft. ** does not include additional fees associated with lab tests

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The ECP’s remediation process is based on fogging. Fogger’s create a “fog” of the cleaning solution (a mist of droplets) that permeates beneath the surface and reach areas normal cleaning solutions cannot.

Regardless of the hazard type or level of contamination, the ECP provides each bui lding, home or unit with the same 7 step process.

With this simple seven step process, the average homeowner is able to return to their home within a few hours for a small remediation job, and within a few days (not weeks) with larger remediation projects.

As part of the ECP process, buildings and homes will be inspected using a simple, easy to understand survey. The survey is not limited to areas of visible mould, but also includes standard problem areas that may have moisture problems or hidden mould such as:

» Building exterior » Roof and attic » HVAC, dryer and soffit vents, » Exhaust fans (kitchen and bathroom) » Crawl spaces » Foundation cracks » Grading of the land » Caulking around doors and windows

PRELIMINARY SURVEY

Step 1: Preparation, tools, and PPEStep 2: Ful l s i te inspection & moisture checkStep 3: Cold fogging including HVACStep 4: Repairs and preventative t ipsStep 5: Clean surfaces and contentsStep 6: F inal l ight foggingStep 7: Clearance test ing

E C P P R O G R A M S T E P S

Our program uses a new class of c leaning material that is both safe for the environment and non-toxic to humans and pets. This solution wil l break down and destroy mould spores ( including toxic mould) up to 99.999 %, while creating a barrier on the surface that prevents mould from growing back.

T H E E C P S O L U T I O N : 7 S T E P S T O A S U C C E S S F U L R E M E D I A T I O N

A B O R I G I N A L I N S U R A N C E S E R V I C E S

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