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More about mold on Kirk Street
Several neighbors express concern about mold removal
CANFIELD
Cardinal Joint Fire District Chief Don Hutchison assures that a 33 Kirk St. home, ordered cleaned up by the city, will be safe for people to live in and around.
The home, owned by Joe Merando, was days away from demolition in July when the out-of-town owner came forward with plans to fix it.
The property was in violation of several zoning regulations ranging from high grass, weeds and debris to a sinking, caved-in roof, destroyed siding, a mold problem and more.
Several neighbors raised concerns about the mold, fearing it wasn’t being handled with the required care.
“I understand the residents’ concerns and we’re doing everything we can on our part to ensure it’ll be a safe area and a safe environment,” Hutchison said.
When Merando came forward to save the rotting home, Hutchison said city officials gave Merando a plan to “remediate” a long list of problems.
“When we went in and inspected it, there was much concern for anybody’s safety,” Hutchison said. “We talked with the owner and advised what we needed.”
Merando employed Bactronix, a cleaning service company in Moon, Pa., which provided a certificate to Canfield City Council stating the mold was remediated to safe levels.
However, there is no state regulated level for mold in Ohio.
John Hallas, department director of environmental health for U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Howland, D-13th, said the most important aspect of mold abatement is the air quality.
He said the way the air quality is measured is more applicable to indoor mold.
“There is no magic number [for mold levels],” Hallas said. “It depends on what the mold species is and stuff like that.”
City Manager Joe Warino said even though the home’s mold problem was taken care of privately and the owner does not have to release the air quality results, he said he trusts Hutchison’s word that the air samples showed safe-level results.
“I wish I could offer more, however, it was difficult for me to find any information on the identifying and handling of mold online,” he said.
Hutchison said Merando has been cooperative from the time he came forward to save the home and everyone is doing what they are supposed to be doing in terms of saving the Kirk Street home.