Jul 6, 2009 - EPA Orders Asbestos to be Removed Prior to Demolition
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has regulations in regards to the demolition process for buildings containing asbestos to prevent unsafe exposure. Accordingly, the EPA has ordered that a
Trinity tried to assert that the levels of asbestos did not warrant the expensive and time consuming process of removal prior to demolition, but the EPA agreed with local health departments ruling that the panels on the 30-story tower must be removed.
The EPA created procedures regarding projects that involved demolition, renovation or repair in order to prevent asbestos from becoming friable. Friable refers to any material that contains more than 1% of asbestos that, when dry, can be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure. Asbestos, when inhaled, causes serious illnesses, such as mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer.
Demolition that is accomplished through the use of implosion or explosion techniques is determined to make asbestos products friable and therefore is subject to prior removal in order to protect the safety of workers and general public.
Many demolition contractors will require that a building owner or operator remove all asbestos-containing materials found during the building inspection prior to the start of demolition activities in order to protect the safety of their workers and the nearby public.
The city had given Trinity an August deadline to complete demolition, but will most likely extend that date given the provision of removal of the asbestos panels in recognition of the time and money involved in that process. The original 35 year old tower was severely damaged by hurricanes in 2004. Trinity has plans to replace the old structure with a $150 million luxury tower called The Modern.
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