Environmental Management and Risk Assessment Program (EMRAP)

Research shows that the air within homes and buildings can be more polluted than outdoor air. The average person spends approximately 90% of their time indoors. In terms of acute hazards, carbon monoxide (CO) is the most dangerous indoor air pollutant.

What is carbon monoxide?

CO is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas. It is produced by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels such as natural gas, propane, fuel oil, gasoline, kerosene, wood and coal. Each year in the United States approximately 1,500 persons die from accidental exposure to high levels of CO.

How does carbon monoxide get indoors?

Dangerous levels of CO in homes is usually caused by malfunctioning furnaces, faulty gas appliances, unvented space heaters, poorly maintained or back drafting chimneys and automobile exhaust from attached garages.

What are the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning?

CO enters the body through the lungs and displaces oxygen in the blood stream. Exposure to elevated levels of CO interferes with the blood's ability to carry oxygen to vital parts of the body. Early signs of CO poisoning are often similar to the flu and include headache, dizziness and tightening across the forehead. Prolonged exposure can lead to more serious effects such as nausea, vomiting, weakness, unconsciousness and death. If you suspect that you are experiencing CO monoxide poisoning in your home, you should immediately:

• shut off all fuel burning appliances
• open windows for ventilation
• contact your doctor
• contact a professional heating contractor

How can you reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning?

• Install a CO detector in your home. CO detectors are similar in appearance to smoke detectors.  The detectors sound an alarm to alert occupants to elevated levels of CO in he home. CO detectors usually range in price from $20 - $50 and can be purchased at a variety of hardware, home improvement, and other retail stores.
• Have a professional inspect your furnace annually.
• Have your chimney regularly cleaned by a professional.
• Properly vent all gas appliances and space heaters.
• Use proper fuel in space heaters.
• Make sure burner flames in furnaces and stove are blue, not yellow or orange.

Additional resources

• Center for Disease Control
• Environmental Protection Agency

The Macomb County Health Department accepts household hazardous waste, free of charge, from Macomb County residents on scheduled collection days in an effort to assure proper disposal of these materials. Our HHW appointment scheduler and more information about accepted items can be found here.

Lead is a toxic material that can be found in the environment and inside our houses. Lead poisoning is preventable. Click here for more information on testing your home and your children.

Recent studies have detected low concentrations of prescription drugs, including opiates, and over the counter medications in the drinking water supplies of 24 major metropolitan areas throughout the country, including Detroit. Contributing to the problem is the disposal dilemma faced by residents who want to safely dispose of unwanted medications without flushing them down the drain. Click here for more information on our medication disposal program.

Mercury is a toxic metal found in thermometers, thermostats and fluorescent light bulbs. Recycling these items helps the environment and saves lives. Check out our mercury page here.

Molds are microscopic fungi that live on plant or animal matter. They serve an important, positive role by helping to decompose organic matter. It is estimated that there are more than 100,000 species of mold. At least 1,000 species are common in the U.S.

Where are molds found?

Molds are found in virtually every environment and can be detected year round both indoors and outdoors. Mold growth is encouraged by warm and humid conditions. They can be found outdoors in shady, damp areas or places of decomposing vegetation. Indoors, mold can be found where there is sufficient moisture or where humidity levels are high, such as basements or showers.

What are the potential health effects of mold?

The most common types of mold are generally not hazardous to healthy individuals. People who have asthma, hay fever or other allergies or who have weakened immune systems are more likely to react to mold. Common symptoms include runny nose, eye irritations, skin rash, cough, congestion and aggravation of asthma or allergies. These symptoms should stop when mold level is reduced.

How do you know if you have a mold problem? Should the house be tested for mold?

Trained professionals can test for mold. However, these tests can be expensive and are usually considered unnecessary. Testing results will always be positive, since mold occurs everywhere. Additionally, there are no standards for safe or unsafe levels of mold. Whenever you see or smell mold, assume there is a problem and take measures to reduce the presence of mold in your home or building.

Large mold infestations can usually be seen or smelled.

What Is Stachybotrys chartarum (pronounced Stack-ee-BOT-ris; also known as Stachybotrys atra)?

This is the "black mold" that you hear and read about. Stachybotrys chartarum (SC) is one mold that is associated with health effects in people. SC is a greenish-black mold that can grow on materials with a high cellulose content (drywall, dropped ceiling tiles, wood) that are chronically moist or water damaged as a result of high humidity, water leaks, condensation or flooding. SC is a relatively uncommon mold. SC spores do not become easily airborne and therefore contamination of indoor air by SC is unusual.

How can you tell if Stachybotrys chartarum is present in your home?

Many molds are black in appearance but are not Stachybotrys chartarum. For example, the black mold commonly found between bathroom tiles is not SC. Stachybotrys chartarum can only be positively identified through microscopic examination or by specially trained professionals.

What should you do if you have mold in your home?

Indoor mold growth indicates a problem with water or moisture. You should not need to take any different precautions with Stachybotrys chartarum than with other molds.

Nonporous (e.g., metals, glass, and hard plas­tics) and semiporous (e.g., wood and concrete) materials contaminated with mold that are still structurally sound can often be cleaned with bleach-and-water solu­tions (1-2 c. bleach/gallon of water).

It is recommended that porous mate­rials (e.g., ceiling tiles, wallboards, carpeting and fabrics) that cannot be cleaned be removed and discarded. In rare cases with extensive mold growth (large surface areas greater than 100 square feet or where the material is severely degraded), clean-up may require extreme precautions.

How can you keep mold out of your home?

There is no practical way to eliminate all molds and mold spores in the indoor environment; the way to control indoor mold growth is to control moisture.

Common intervention methods for addressing mold problems include the following:

• fixing water leakage problems
• increasing ventilation in kitchens and bathrooms by using exhaust fans
• maintaining heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems
• changing HVAC filters frequently, as recommended by manufacturer
• keeping gutters and downspouts in working order and ensuring that they drain water away from the foundation
• routinely checking, cleaning, and drying drip pans in air conditioners, refrigerators, and dehumidifiers
• increasing ventilation (e.g., using exhaust fans or open windows to remove humidity when cooking, showering, or using the dishwasher)
• venting clothes dryers to the outside
• maintaining an ideal relative humidity level in the home of 40% to 60% by using a dehumidifier
• locating and removing sources of moisture (controlling dampness and humidity and repairing water leakage problems)
• cleaning or removing mold-contaminated materials
• sloping surrounding soil away from building foundations
• heating all rooms in the winter and adding heating to outside wall closets
• reducing the number of indoor plants
• using air conditioning at times of high outdoor humidity
• removing materials with severe mold growth
• using high-efficiency air filters.
• using a sump pump in basements prone to flooding
• vapor barriers, sump pumps, and aboveground vents can also be installed in crawlspaces to prevent moisture problems.
• Clean and dry damp/wet building materials and furnishings within 24 - 48 hours to prevent mold growth.
• Prevent condensation: Reduce the potential for condensation on cold surfaces (windows, piping, exterior walls, roof or floors) by adding insulation.
• In areas where there is a perpetual moisture problem, do not install carpeting

Additional resources

• Center for Disease Control
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Michigan Department of Community Health
• New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

What are Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)?

PCB's are a group of man made organic chemicals that were primarily used as coolants and lubricants in transformers, capacitors and other electrical devices. PCB production was stopped in the United States in 1977 because PCB's were found to be persistent in the environment and potentially harmful. Today, small amounts of PCB's can be found in almost all air, soil, sediments, surface water and animals.

What are the health effects of PCB exposure?

People exposed to large amounts of PCB's, such as utility workers handling transformers or capacitors, can develop skin conditions such as acne and rashes or possible liver damage. PCB exposure in the general population are not likely to result in skin or liver effects.

Long term effects in humans as a result of environmental or work-related exposures have not been well studied, but persons exposed to large amounts of PCB's may be at increased risk for developing certain cancers such as liver cancer. PCB's are not known to cause birth defects.

In relation to the 10 Mile-Lange-Revere Street canals in St. Clair Shores

The Macomb County Health Department has reviewed the sediment test results and does not consider the presence of PCB's in the sediment an imminent health risk to area residents.

This is based on the fact that the materials of concern were found in the bottom sediments, therefore human exposure during normal residential activities should be insignificant. To pose a significant risk to human health would require ingestion or direct skin contact with the contaminated sediment.

Additional resources:

• The Michigan Fish Advisory includes recommendations for limiting the eating of fish caught in Lake St. Clair due to PCB contamination. You should consult the Fish Advisory for specific recommendations, by species, for fish consumed from Lake St. Clair.
• Federal, State and Local documents related to the investigation and clean-up of the 10 Mile-Lang-Revere Street canals can be found here.  
• Latest report on the clean-up activities 
• For further information on preventing exposure to PCB's in the 10 Mile/Lange/Revere canals
• Environmental Protection Agency 
• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 

Radon is a colorless and odorless radioactive gas. It is formed during the breakdown of uranium, which is found in nearly all soils and rock. Radon ranks among the most serious environmental health problems facing our nation today. Check out our Radon page here.