Asbestos hazard slows New Jersey firehouse project

In Vineland, New Jersey, officials want to clear away the structures that now stand at 810 E. Chestnut Avenue to make room for a new fire station for 24 volunteer firefighters. The structures that will need to be cleared of asbestos and demolished include an old schoolhouse, a warehouse and offices.

The city recently received a round of bids for the project, but they have decided to throw out these bids and begin again because not all of the contractors recognized the need for asbestos assessment and removal—an essential and expensive first step in the demolition of older buildings. City officials have decided that they will request new bids that expressly include the necessary asbestos cleanup.

Very specific regulations cover the handling of asbestos-containing materials during demolition projects to prevent the release of dangerous asbestos fibers. Any materials that contain asbestos must be carefully removed and properly discarded before the demolition can begin.

Exposure to asbestos, even at low levels or for short periods of time, increases the risk of developing malignant mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer that can attack the pleura (a membrane that lines the lungs), the peritoneum (which surrounds the abdomen) or the pericardium (which surrounds the heart). Asbestos exposure also causes lung cancer and asbestosis. Asbestos-related diseases generally don’t appear, however, until decades—sometimes several decades—after the exposure.

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