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<br />Environmental Solutions Group ● 7 Maple Leaf Drive., Greensboro, NC 27401 ● 336-373-1538 ● www.Go-ESG.com 4 <br />Report with Protocols for Remediation <br />Environmental Solutions Group <br />Leading people, companies and communities to live, <br />work and prosper in a sustainable environment. <br />o A slightly elevated (960 counts/m3) level of the pathogenic fungi Aspergillus/Penicillium-like was <br />identified at the middle of the warehouse. <br />o Slightly elevated (between 1,000 and 3,000 counts/m3) levels of the allergenic fungi Ascospores and <br />Basidiospores were identified at the interior of the building near the left and right entry doors to the <br />warehouse. <br />o These fungal types appear outdoors at moderate levels and are generally found indoors at low or trace <br />amounts. <br />Direct Swab Findings: <br />Surface samples for microbial analysis were collected in the warehouse for lab analysis (please see the “Chain of <br />Custody” document below for specific locations). Below are the significant findings: <br />• 8/4/21 report <br />o An abundant (3) count of the allergenic fungi Cladosporium and a light (2) count of the pathogenic fungi <br />Aspergillus/Penicillium-like were identified at the floor of the middle of the warehouse. <br />o A loaded (4) count of the allergenic fungi Cladosporium and a trace (1) count of the pathogenic fungi <br />Aspergillus/Penicillium-like were identified at the rack in the middle of the warehouse. <br />• 9/14/20 report <br />o Elevated counts (1-2) of the toxigenic fungi Chaetomium were identified at four of the six surface <br />samples taken from items stored within the warehouse. <br />▪ These are slow growing fungi that produce toxins in spores which are poisonous by inhalation. <br />These toxigenic types grow on building materials with high cellulose content and high moisture <br />content, so it indicates a significant and generally a prolonged moisture source. <br />▪ Chaetomium is one of the five known as “zero tolerance” fungi in an indoor environment. <br />• The lab uses a scoring system of 1 (trace), 2 (light), 3 (abundant), and 4 (loaded) to characterize the number of <br />microbial spores identified in the sample. This scoring system is accepted by the IICRC S520 Standard for <br />Professional Mold Remediation as indicative of normal fungal ecology should the score be a 1 or 2 (unless a zero <br />tolerance fungi), and abnormal fungal ecology should the score be a 3 or 4. The lab also reports the number of <br />hyphal fragments, or pieces of microbial material, which further support a characterization of either abnormal <br />or normal fungal ecology. <br />Observation: <br />The findings of microbial growth and extremely elevated humidity within the warehouse indicate that the warehouse <br />has been in a condition conducive to microbial growth. Randomized sampling of the surfaces within the warehouse <br />reported on the 9/14/20 report indicated that the toxigenic fungi Chaetomium had been dispersed onto many of the <br />surfaces and contents. Updated sampling and observation reported 8/4/21 indicated that the levels of airborne <br />Aspergillus/Penicillium-like and Cladosporium were higher than before, and that these fungal types are on the surfaces <br />of the warehouse at elevated amounts. It is also likely that additional Chaetomium spores also remain within the <br />warehouse but were not identified in the limited surface sampling performed for the 8/4/21 report. These fungal spores <br />likely originated from areas of dust accumulation where very high prolonged humidity allowed the fungi to grow. <br />Natural disturbances within the warehouse from general air movement and human activity likely allowed this dust and <br />fungi to become momentarily suspended in the air and land the contents. <br />The tunnel containment (leading to the body cooler) had very clean particles counts and a very clean surface sample, <br />indicating that the containment is continuing to be an effective barrier and is clean. <br />DocuSign Envelope ID: A9A4637A-BE59-4285-99BE-D253C29FA836