Toxic mold flourishes as modern household affliction.

• Position: On First Reading

Stachybotrys chartarum/atra. Toxic mold. It has been said that mold, is mold, is mold. But when people get ill, when houses are burned and insurance settlements soar into the millions, mold becomes something more.

Mold is being blamed for causing serious health problems, ranging from allergic reactions and infections to eye and lung irritations. But whether mold indisputably poses substantial health risks remains controversial.

Just like asbestos in the 1980s, reports of dangers associated with mold contamination have swept the nation and fueled the creation of a multimillion dollar industry.

But with a lack of regulation from the federal government and states, fraud is widespread. Panic over mold has stirred families to move into tents in their backyards. One family had the local fire department burn their house to the ground.

States are responding to the possible health implications of mold infestations. California enacted the Toxic Mold Protection Act of 2001 (SB 732), which addresses exposure limits and remediation. The New Jersey Legislature passed SR 77 urging the commissioners of Health and Senior Services and Community Affairs to help residents identify and deal with toxic mold infestations.

Congress is considering the United States Toxic Mold Safety and Protection Act of 2002 or the Melina bill (HR 5040). Among other things, the proposal directs the Centers for Disease Control and...