Bold Move Against Mold

(NAPSI)-Combating mold used to be a pretty simple process. Just clean out the refrigerator or scrub down the back porch, particularly when humidity levels are on the rise. In the past year, however, mold has become more than just an annoyance.

Mounting reports have been chronicling the same disquieting tale. Toxic black mold can be physically harmful, especially to children. Toxic mold is becoming a widespread concern. Toxic mold has costly consequences, saddling homeowners and businesses with massive reparations, in many cases declined by insurance companies.

Most accounts have taken a reactive slant to the problem but a growing manufacturer of plastic paneling systems is talking about prevention.

"Our product has been clinically proven to inhibit the growth of mold," said Charles Yoder, president of Parkland Plastics, Inc. "Our wall and ceiling panels represent an inexpensive method to help protect homes and commercial buildings from mold."

His company developed and manufactures a variety of residential and commercial paneling systems using a waterproof material produced with 100 percent recycled polymers. According to Yoder, it neutralizes the main factors contributing to mold growth.

"Moisture has to be present for mold to grow," he said. "The absorbency in Plas-Tex® is just thousandths of a percent. That compares to fiberglass, which is a tenth of a percent, and wood, which is 10 to 20 percent."

Dr. Thaddeus J. Godish, Director of Indoor Air Quality Research Laboratory at Indiana's Ball State University, said the extensive use of gypsum board in construction magnifies the problem.

"Many applications for gypsum board use a paper facing, which acts as a food source for mold once water is introduced," he said. "Any type of waterproof material would help combat the problem."

Recent laboratory testing conducted by the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Texas Tech University underscored Parkland's panels' waterproof and impermeable properties. The report stated "the results would suggest that it cannot be utilized as a food source itself by fungi or bacteria."

Yoder explained, "Plas-Tex is chemically inert. It cannot act as a food source." The presence of cellulose in wood also poses a breeding ground for mold. The state of Texas recently banned ceiling panels that contain cellulose and the plastic paneling is being considered as a replacement product.

Parkland already has a foothold in the home improvement industry with its line of panels, matching moldings, wainscotings and a variety of laminated panels. These products are available at a number of home improvement stores, such as Home Depot, Lowe's and Do-It-Best outlets. For more information, call 1-800-835-4110 or see www.parklandplastics.com.

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