German response to mold plague: Paint over it

BAUMHOLDER, GERMANY — US soldiers stationed in Germany are reportedly being made ill by mold, but German officials have a unique and potentially troublesome answer to the dilemma –– paint over the mold. Stars and Stripes reported receiving several letters and telephone calls from military personnel living in Germany complaining of health problems associated with mold contamination in the apartments and living quarters. That includes a couple who complained of chronic respiratory ailments and whose infant was hospitalized with the same problems after exposure to mold. The military newspaper stated that German building inspectors and even the director of the city housing authority told the military occupants to paint over the mold. Mold remediation experts have told CM e-News Daily/CMM Online that painting over mold does nothing to remove the fungus or the potential for health problems. For tips on the proper remediation of mold, check out CM i-Focus on Mold.