Check out the science and you will discover that the renewal of life on earth requires decay. By and large there can be nothing new without the breakdown of the old into necessary building blocks to create a new cycle of life.
Which is why MANY of us are naturally resistant to some agents that assist in much of this decay, — e.g. the kinds of fungi known as mould or mold (different spelling, same fungii). Otherwise the entire human race might well have accidentally decomposed eons ago.
MANY of us are resistant to common kinds of decay organisms, but far from all of us. So in one sense, a public housing association that dismisses black mould as nothing but unsightly nuisance reflects a reality for many of us. But for SOME of us, the reality is quite deadly.
Should the resistance of many be used as a benchmark for safe practices for everybody? The same kind of dismissive thinking would see us abandoning sidewalks. After all, MANY of us are nimble enough to walk in traffic while dodging cars. As we are well aware from accident statistics and news reporting, SOME of us aren’t.
Which all goes to help explain why people are up in arms in the United Kingdom over a child’s death caused by ‘black mould’ in social housing — a collection of many common decay organisms with the same dark colouring that flourish in unacceptably (for humans) damp conditions.
A UK coroner has recently flagged the casual — and unfortunately semi-official — dismissal by councils and housing associations of decay organisms as ‘harmless.’ In reality these organisms threaten the lives of some who are forced to live in unacceptably damp conditions. In 2020 that threat killed a two year-old social housing resident.
The coroner also noted that the Housing Ombudsman, who responds to complaints from social housing tenants, is not mandated to investigate complaints from tenants who rent from private landlords, where mould is also an issue.
Read more in The Guardian: Death of two-year-old from mould in flat a ‘defining moment’, says coroner
. . . as to thoughts that ‘people are up in arms,’ here’s a little evidence that many will not let this tragedy be swept under the carpet. Read more at the BBC: Awaab Ishak: Failing landlords will be named and shamed, Gove says . . . and from The Guardian: Housing association boss faces pressure to quit after Awaab Ishak’s death
. . . followed by the news that the housing association has fired their chief executive. Read more at The Guardian: Rochdale housing boss fired after death of Awaab Ishak due to mould exposure
