New Law Requires American IAQ Council Certification
As part of its new licensing law for residential mold remediators, the state of Maryland will require that all licensees hold an individual certification from the American Indoor Air Quality Council, a Glendale, Ariz.-based nonprofit certifying body formed in 1994 to serve the IAQ industry. The council announced this week that the law, which goes into effect Oct. 1, does not create a certification board or institute a licensing examination. Instead, the state will rely upon the credibility of AIAQC's independent certifications.
AIAQC Executive Director Charlie Wiles said the move made sense, fiscally and otherwise. "Independent industry certification is the most efficient way to ensure that licensees know the mold remediation field," he said. "The American IAQ Council does all the work of a state certification board at no expense to Maryland taxpayers."
The law requires every person who works on a residential mold remediation project to hold a license. To help remediation company owners qualify their workers for licensure, AIAQC has developed a certification program designed specifically for new hires. The Council-certified Residential Microbial Remediator will be available on July 1. Wiles says AIAQC is prepared for other states to follow Maryland's lead.
"As an independent, accredited certifying body, the American IAQ Council provides the perfect solution for state governments looking to regulate the mold remediation industry at a reasonable cost," he said. "We look forward to helping other states protect their citizens from dishonest contractors as well as microbial contamination."