Outbreaks of mould and pests in libraries, archives and museums are a common problem. Your collections can become seriously damaged quickly if mould or insect pests are allowed to flourish. Your staff or users can be at risk of health problems if they are exposed to excessive mould infections, and your organisation or business may be exposed to litigation if you have not taken appropriate steps to safeguard health. Similarly, collections that have been treated with pesticides in the past can present serious health risks.
NCS works with internationally recognised expertise to provide a combination of services. We can arrange for site inspections to establish the causes of mould outbreaks and undertake testing of mould infections and pesticides to establish the extent of health risks. We will monitor environments for climate and air quality and arrange for remediation projects such as collection cleaning and building disinfection. We will assess the scale and nature of damage to collections and provide microscopy reports, project plans and specifications for conservation of damaged material, including estimation of costs for insurance purposes.
We can also help to assess the likely risks of future mould outbreaks in buildings containing collections and advise on preventative measures to reduce risk and to improve environments.
If you have an outbreak of mould in your collection, or pesticide treated material, or would like to learn more about the risks, contact NCS. To receive advice as part of an annual support plan, join the National Conservation Service.