Mold Testing Laboratory

Cinnaminson, NJ,  March 1^st , 2019

Fox 13 News recently broadcasted a story about a Florida homeowner that learned her house had been flooded with sewage for months in a property that she only lives in part-time. According to the report, pipes in the street had failed causing the sewage to backup into the home where no one was residing for months.

The unpleasant discovery was made by a friend of the property owner who had stopped by the home to check on it. The friend found that not only did raw sewage contaminate the home, all the water and humidity resulted in mold growth throughout the residence.

In addition to the unpleasant nature of sewage contamination, it creates a health and safety concern for anyone that comes in contact with it. Raw sewage can expose people to a wide range of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa and parasites. If not addressed quickly, any standing water and wet materials will allow these organisms to multiply.

“Raw sewage or any flooding event in any type of building will lead to the growth of mold in as short as 48 hours in most circumstances if the situation is not quickly and thoroughly addressed,” said Jason Dobranic, Ph.D., Vice President of Microbiology and Life Sciences at EMSL Analytical, Inc. “A flooding event that results in water sitting for days or weeks will create a high humidity environment so the mold could grow almost everywhere, not just on materials directly in touch by the sewage or water.”

Sewage contamination and mold growth, whether in a home, school or place of business, is a concern for not only building occupants, but also for people tasked with cleaning up the mess. It is important that people know the extent of the damage and contamination. The indoor environmental quality (IEQ) professionals at EMSL Analytical, Inc. help with this important task. With laboratories across the United States and Canada, EMSL offers comprehensive testing services for microbial and chemical contaminants, offers all of the sampling supplies necessary, and even has a line of easy-to-use test kits for many IEQ issues. Testing after the cleanup is also instrumental to ensure that remediation efforts were thorough and did not leave behind any exposure risks.

EMSL has sponsored an educational video about sewage contamination, property damage and exposure concerns that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/XBRUJEwnVMo.

For more information about water damage, sewage, mold or other environmental, health and safety testing services, please visit www.EMSL.com, email info@EMSL.com or call (800) 220-3675. For access to IEQ test kits, visit www.EMSLTestKits.com.


About EMSL Analytical, Inc.
EMSL Analytical is one of the leading testing laboratories with over 46 locations throughout the United States and Canada. EMSL is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider specializing in fast laboratory results for mold, bacteria, Legionella, USP <797>, pathogens, asbestos, lead, soot, char & ash from fires, VOC’s, odors, radon, formaldehyde, indoor air quality, microbiology, environmental, industrial hygiene, radiological, food, beverage & consumer products and material testing services for the identification of unknown substances. EMSL services both professionals and the general public. EMSL maintains an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies including, but not limited to A2LA, AIHA LAP, LLC. (AIHA EMLAP, AIHA IHLAP, AIHA ELLAP), NVLAP, CDC ELITE, CPSC, CA ELAP, NY ELAP, TX DOH, NJDEP and multiple other state accrediting agencies. Please visit our website at www.EMSL.com for a complete listing of accreditations. In addition, EMSL carries a wide range of Sampling Equipment and Investigative Products for environmental professionals.