Before old buildings are demolished, all asbestos must be removed. Destroying a building without removing the asbestos would cause the material to go airborne, where it is most dangerous. The process of asbestos removal is time consuming, though, as the demolition of the X-333 Process Building at the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Portsmouth Site near Piketon, Ohio, has demonstrated.
Removing the asbestos from the DOE building began back in November and is only now completed. The 1,000 acre site, like many buildings built prior to the end of the 1970s, used large amounts of asbestos for insulation, among other things. As these older buildings age, they become health hazards, sometimes requiring demolition.
“Protecting the health and safety of the personnel at the plant and in the community, as well as the environment, is the first priority in the clean-up process. Safe asbestos removal like this in the X-333 will be a significant part of the activities to come,” said Vince Adams, DEO site coordinator at Portsmouth.
This attention to detail is paramount in guaranteeing the safety of the workers and the future safety of the site after demolition. Taking three months to remove all the insulation in such a large building is necessary in order to prevent asbestos exposure and the mesothelioma that commonly follows.
Cappolino Dodd Krebs, LLP – mesothelioma lawyers