Calls for the immediate closure of Hamilton Police Station were made this week by the founder of an American organisation created to eradicate mould in public buildings.

And Government came under heavy criticism for not placing a priority "on human life and health" despite evidence that officers are being exposed to "toxic" conditions on a daily basis.

Improvements to the building were said to have been made last year by Works & Engineering staff following reports that it was riddled with water damage, cracked walls, dirt, dust and mould. However, January brought new claims from officers with health issues said to be as a result of mould at the Hamilton station (pictured) .

According to Susan Brinchman, founder of the California-based Center for School Mold Help, even a few minutes spent in the conditions described at the Parliament Street facility could lead to lifelong illness or death.

"This is no different than a burning building," she insisted. "You don't wait for the next building to be built if you're in a burning building. I recommend they refuse to go back into the building as its possibly killing people. A day, an hour, ten minutes in a building like that is too much. It's not something to be fooled around with."

The Hamilton station was condemned in 1978. A 2006 report by an H.M. Inspectorate of Constabulary team claimed that the ageing building contained so many hazards officers were at risk of serious injury. Those findings were reportedly still at play a year later ¿ health inspectors from Bermuda Water Consultants agreed that the Hamilton Station was "in a poor state of repair".

Work on a new station is under way, but the building is not expected to be operational until 2010. Health officials yesterday offered no comment. But, according to Ms Brinchman, the officers cannot afford to wait another two years.

"There are alternatives," Ms Brinchman stated. "If people brainstorm, I'm sure they can find a way to use another building. What would they do if the building did burn down? They would find a solution and that's what they need to implement. You can't have a sick police force. Government has to take the bull by the horns."

Ms Brinchman's concern over the issue led her to pen a letter to online news agency Caribbean Net News in which she expressed "great sadness" over what she sees as unnecessary "suffering" by officers. "As a person totally disabled and sickened by workplace mould exposure, I can understand. I strongly recommend that this very dangerous building be immediately closed for any uses, and another building be immediately found to substitute, even if you have to double up. The police assigned to that building should refuse to re-enter, ever ¿ with their union supporting them in my opinion ¿ until the building has been completely made safe, or razed and rebuilt.

"The Bermuda Government, like (that in America), needs to place its priorities on human life and health. Our public servants deserve the highest recognition and respect for their service ¿ where would we be without them? Close the building and solve the problem."

Ms Brinchman was equally vocal two years ago when she insisted that Government should consider demolishing CedarBridge Academy because of environmental health issues there. Yesterday, she denied she is picking on Bermuda, explaining that articles on mould are brought to her attention by Google alerts.

"I hear of about ten mould stories per day in the US, Canada and surrounding islands," the executive director said. "Some are being taken care of, people are on the right track. Others, people are continually being affected and are in dire straits and that's when I write letters or commentaries to try and point them in the right direction.

"I have a special connection with Bermuda because I went there on vacation a couple of times. I feel badly for the people there. It seems as if the Government, like ours (in the US) is not very sharp (in its knowledge of) mould and (because of that) is subjecting people to those conditions."

A former teacher, Ms Brinchman became an expert on mould after she became disabled by the conditions she was working in. She founded the Center for School Mold Help as a consequence.

"I was a teacher. I am not a mould professional," she maintained. "However, after five-and-a-half years of learning about mould, I know more than scientists and doctors about the effects of mould and the specifics of mould and health and mould and buildings."

Although people don't always heed her advice, they often take advantage of the experts, research articles and other information listed on her website, www.schoolmoldhelp.org, Ms Brinchman added. She said that the issue is often ignored where people don't insist it be made a priority. In such cases, the general attitude taken by building managers is that "no one is responsible" and there is "no accountability" for the conditions inside.

"In our country, and in Canada too, the government buildings may be built cheaply, may not be maintained well, may be neglected or used beyond the amount of time they were intended for use because the government is trying to save money. It's the last priority to worry about the people inside and their health.

"They don't own the building. If you're the landlord and there are 12 leaks in a room, do you put out garbage cans to catch the leaks or let the leaks run into the rugs? What person who owns a building lets that happen? It would harm them financially. The government doesn't own it. The people in charge of the building don't care and very often, they're ignorant of the effects of mould.

"Even if they are knowledgeable, there's no money or means to pay for (improvements) and getting the public to pay to tear down the building or (take steps to) mould remediation takes an act (of government)."

Part of the problem is the difficulty in having mould recognised as a life-threatening illness worldwide, the charity head explained.

"Understanding how mould impacts health is a relatively recent science but there is definite proof that it is to be avoided and can cause problems - sickness and even death. But it is just an emerging science. Especially in the last five years it's really picked up speed and recognition. Fungi are dangerous.

"I suppose if a government really put its mind to it, learned about it and educated its health department and its people about it, (recognition of its danger) could go faster as it did with Aids and SARS. (With those viruses) the world showed that multiple countries can work together but that's not what we're doing in the case of mould. The science is there for sick buildings¿- the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) is saying it, scientists are saying it."

Insurance agencies are making the issue controversial, she insisted.

"Information is empowering. Initially, this was all completely foreign to me. It wasn't in the news. It wasn't anywhere. But we can't wait. This is a burning building and if (more people) realised what mould does to their health, they will stay out."