Clapper, Patti, Schweizer and Mason

Not for the first time, the demolition of the old Port Huron YMCA facility in Michigan has been delayed again, and getting the project back on track will cost the city even more.  This latest delay is due to discovery of additional asbestos in the building by contractors already onsite. 

The project was halted once before after first discovering asbestos containing materials.  At that time, a third party team of abatement experts was called in to handle the toxic substance.  Unfortunately, that team’s initial inspection overlooked at least some of the contaminated materials in the old building. 

Bruce Brown, Port Huron city manager, said the cost of the demolition has already reached $230,300.  This latest discovery will likely raise that cost even higher.

Federal regulations regarding the removal, transportation, and disposal of asbestos and building materials containing asbestos require that all contaminated materials be removed from buildings before they can be renovated or torn down.  This is a public health measure in place to minimize the risk of exposure to the deadly mineral. 

Asbestos, if inhaled or ingested—which can often happen on jobsites when fibers become airborne—can lead to serious and lethal diseases such as lung cancer and mesothelioma.  Even small amounts of asbestos pose a huge danger to the health and welfare of anyone working with the product.

Unfortunately, thousands of old buildings—especially public buildings like the Port Huron YMCA—still contain asbestos materials decades after the EPA severely restricted its use.  Until 1985 asbestos was commonly used in construction and repair materials because it added fire resistance and structural stability to products such as ceiling tiles, floor tiles, adhesives, and gaskets. 

The Port Huron YMCA was originally scheduled to be demolished by June 15 but the series of delays means that the project may not be completed until the end of August. 

Brown called the discovery of additional asbestos "part of the process."  When dealing with older structures "you get surprises that you didn't anticipate."

Dore and Associates Contracting of Bay City has been hired by St. Clair County to raze the YMCA (and four other buildings in the area).  The county accepted Dore’s bid of $288,700 for the demolition and removal of hazardous materials from:

• the former county jail
• the former Economic Opportunity Committee building
• the former juvenile detention center
• and the former Day Treatment/Night Watch building

While the delays are costly, both in monetary terms and concerning scheduling conflicts, the extra precaution is warranted.  Asbestos causes over 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma per year in the United States alone and every case of the disease is ultimately lethal. 

In addition, the mineral can cause lung cancer and painful and asbestosis, a debilitating scarring of the lungs that makes breathing very difficult.  Safe handling and proper removal of asbestos is an essential step for any renovation or demolition project.