A public health office in Guelph, Ontario was closed after particles that had fallen from the ventilation system were discovered to be asbestos-containing vermiculite. Complaints about dust and dirt in the building date back to the spring. The particles contain 0.9 percent asbestos. Approximately 100 employees were evacuated from the building, and the ventilation system has been shut down to prevent further dispersal of the asbestos. The city has hired a private inspector and is trying to determine the how the asbestos-containing vermiculite got into the building’s ventilation system. The source of the contamination must be found before a plan can be developed to clean the building. The acting medical officer claims that the vermiculite is settled on surfaces and the asbestos is not airborne. On the other hand, the president of Ontario’s Environmental Abatement Council cautions that vermiculite is easily crumbled, which could release asbestos fibers into the air.
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