Why Demolition for Asbestos Laden Buildings Must Be Enforced
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- Created on Tuesday, 20 September 2011 14:15
Since 1989, the Toastmaster factory in Algonquin, Illinois has sat mostly vacant. The factory itself is approximately 94 years old. A fire that recently gutted the structure; however, has brought this forgotten building back into the collective conscience of the community at large. (http://algonquin.patch.com/
The problem being that this particular factory may have been loaded with asbestos. (http://www.myfoxchicago.com/
This occurrence reveals the destructive nature of asbestos which is left in place long after buildings are abandoned. While most current regulations do not require the asbestos to be removed so long as it is “contained,” there is always the possibility that an event can cause this asbestos to become “uncontained.” Residents who may be exposed to this grave health threat have the right to ask their representatives, “Why was that asbestos still there?” There is simply no reason why it should be. Asbestos is a health threat regardless of how “contained” in some pipe or compound it may be. As the fire at Toastmaster highlights, events can always free that asbestos. And once free, it can wreak havoc on the community at large, and cause unnecessary illnesses, up to and include mesothelioma, the deadliest of all asbestos related diseases.
It cannot be understated that fire damage to old buildings should be an understood risk, and coupled with the physical properties of asbestos, it should be foreseeable that the asbestos will become airborne. As those familiar with the physical characteristics of asbestos are aware, asbestos is a mineral which is extremely resistant to heat, which is why it was used in many cases as insulation for boilers, pipes, steam traps, and other such high heat applications. (Link to our website on the properties of asbestos) As such, it should come as no surprise that while many of the components of a building may burn off in a fire, the asbestos will remain, and will be blown about by the wind, where it may come into contact with unsuspecting residents who had no idea of the potential health risks associated with leaving asbestos in buildings.
Unfortunately, the ramifications of the fire at Toastmaster in Algonquin, Illinois, may not be fully understood for several years or decades, as the latency period between asbestos exposure and the development of an asbestos related disease such as lung cancer or mesothelioma can be 20-50 years. It does highlight, however, the need for aggressive abatement of asbestos in old factories, warehouses, and abandoned buildings. The citizens who live around these buildings deserve the peace of mind of knowing that should a fire break out, they don’t have to worry about their children or themselves being exposed to these deadly fibers.
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