Clapper, Patti, Schweizer and Mason

The factory site, abandoned in the 1970s, is considered by mesothelioma attorneys and public health officials to be one of the most contaminated sites in town. When inhaled, asbestos fibers lodge in the lungs and over time cause a deadly cancer of the mesothelium, the lining of the lungs. Asbestos was widely used in construction product s for industry, schools, homes, and commercial buildings until it was banned for most uses in the 1970s. The cleanup will prepare the toxic site for construction of a condo complex and office buildings scheduled to start next year. Another $4 million will come from state sources. Funds are still being sought to fund the total cleanup.