Conflict of Interest?

A conflict of interest is defined as a situation that has the potential to affect the impartiality of a person. This most commonly occurs in a business setting when an individual is involved in multiple interests, one or more of which has the potential to corrupt the motivation for performance in the other.

You have heard the old parables of the fox guarding the hen house or the wolf watching the sheep. The basic lesson in both is "Don't assign a job to someone who will then be in a position to exploit it for his own ends”.

There are regulations in place throughout the lead and asbestos industries to address the potential conflict of interest associated with confirming the presence of these contaminants, and then being in charge of the proper removal and disposal of them.

However, a review of mold remediation companies on any search engine or in the yellow pages shows that many of them also perform mold assessments or mold testing. Is this a conflict of interest? It would seem that at least two states think so.

Currently, Texas and Florida both require licensing throughout the mold industry. The legislation in both TX and FL clearly states that “A licensee shall not perform both mold assessment and mold remediation on the same project, or have an ownership interest in an entity that performs mold assessment services and mold remediation services on the same project.”

An Orlando FL contractor was recently arrested and now faces charges of grand theft and insurance fraud for collecting samples that were never analyzed. In addition, he provided fake lab data to support the need for extensive mold remediation - which he then also performed.

Another popular scam is to offer FREE mold inspections and sampling. Done properly, mold assessment and testing requires an investment of time, equipment, testing media and professional knowledge.

The only way a company can afford to continue to offer this assessment and testing service for free is to make a larger profit from remediating any mold problems that are found.

In no way does Air Matters LLC feel that these two examples are the norm. Many mold remediation companies are owned by hard working, ethical people who are hoping to keep some services in house to increase their profit margin and streamline the project.

However, more and more consumers are questioning the potential for conflict of interest, leading many remediation contractors to partner with third party providers.

Air Matters LLC has specialized in confirming the presence and identity of fungal species in homes and businesses since 2002. We do not perform any remediation work, “So you can breathe easy” knowing that you are getting an unbiased evaluation each and every time.

Air Matters LLC has performed mold testing services in the Raleigh NC area since 2002. The owner, Renee D. Ward, has over 25 years of safety and environmental experience and holds both her Bachelors and Masters degrees in engineering. Renee is also a member of the American Industrial Hygiene Association and the Indoor Air Quality Association. You may contact Air Matters at (919) 961-2221 or info@AirMattersMoldTesting.com.