University of Maryland professors say mold in campus building is making them sick

After a week away in upstate New York, Barnet Pavão-Zuckerman walked back into her office at the University of Maryland and instantly felt something was wrong. She walked over to her shelves and saw that, once again, mold spores were coating the spines of her books.

“It was like a swamp in here,” said the anthropology professor.

Professors who work out of Woods Hall on the state’s flagship campus in College Park say their working conditions have been making them sick for years. Mold spores show up on their desks, books and clothing, leading to health issues such as severe skin irritations and exacerbated asthma or allergies, they said.

Some classes have had to be moved from the building after students reported similar concerns, according to department officials.

Anthropology professor Thurka Sangaramoorthy filed a written complaint about the conditions last September after dealing with mold in her office since 2012. Over the next six years, she said she was forced to throw away personal photos, awards, and hundreds of her treasured books — all damaged by mold. An allergist prescribed her a daily medication to deal with a persistent skin irritation that had started to worry her children.

Read more: https://www.capitalgazette.com/maryland/bs-md-umd-mold-20191004-vcw32lkpcrcyvbi7dnb7lqij2i-story.html
(Annapolis Capital Gazette)