Toxic Mould Risk To School Children
Toxins at School Identified As Possible Cause For PANS & Behavioural Problems
A routine environmental survey at a newly built primary school has uncovered disturbing evidence of severe biological contamination, including toxigenic mould and cyanobacteria toxins—linked to neurological damage and cancer—following reports of extreme behavioural distress among pupils.
The initial investigation, commissioned by Building Forensics Ltd, was intended as a basic survey. However, the attending environmental surveyor independently escalated the assessment—at personal cost—after witnessing distressed children being physically removed from classrooms due to uncharacteristic, hysterical behaviour.
Recognising the potential risk, Jeff Charlton—one of the UK’s leading experts in toxicology, mould, and biological decontamination—was brought in to examine the site. His investigation identified significant visible mould growth, soft and saturated wall materials, design failures, and widespread condensation—all clear indicators of internal water damage and microbial proliferation in the newly constructed facility.
Given the combination of structural failings and acute behavioural symptoms among children, Charlton expanded the scope to investigate potential neurological toxins that may trigger Paediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS), a condition known to result from bacterial or fungal inflammatory exposure.
Laboratory results confirmed Charlton’s worst fears:
- Chaetomium spp. — a highly toxigenic mould species known to produce neurotoxins and respiratory irritants — was detected at levels exceeding 1,000 times typical background levels.
- Cyanobacteria toxins, including Microcystins and Anatoxins, were identified within classroom environments. These are potent inflammatory agents linked to liver cancer, neurological disruption, and respiratory failure.
Although the school reimbursed the sampling costs after two months, no remedial action/clearance was taken.
"This is a catastrophic failure of duty," said Charlton. “A newly built school with clear evidence of biological hazard, visibly decaying infrastructure, and children exhibiting acute neuropsychiatric symptoms — yet no one is held accountable. This is not an isolated case.”
Charlton warns that without urgent intervention and responsibility from duty holders—including designers, builders, and safety regulators—similar incidents will continue. He further emphasised that current visual inspection regimes are inadequate for detecting airborne biotoxins or subtle neurological risks. This is added to by a total lack of training and competence for management and maintenance.
About Building Forensics Ltd
Building Forensics Ltd, led by Jeff Charlton, is a leading UK consultancy in environmental hygiene, mould investigation, and decontamination. Charlton is widely recognised as the UK’s foremost expert in toxic mould and biohazard remediation, having worked on major government and medical contamination cases globally.
Contact:
Jeff Charlton
Building Forensics Ltd
07990 500 999
www.buildingforensics.co.uk
Jeff Charlton
BuildingForensics
(0)2039165505
info@buildingforensics.co.uk
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