New York courtroom requires asbestos abatement
Asbestos abatement for the village courtroom in Potsdam, New York may cost as much as $20,000 to complete. The village Board of Trustees must vote to approve the project and to decide whether the ceiling should be left bare or if more renovation work should be completed this year.
A leaky ceiling was the original reason village officials closed the courtroom. State officials tested the ceiling and determined that the mastic adhesive holding the ceiling tiles in place contains asbestos. Court sessions have been held in the civic center boardroom since the courtroom was closed.
Employees are concerned about the asbestos contamination after two of their coworkers died of cancer in recent months, one of them from asbestos-related cancer. On June 5, testing by the state Public Employee Health and Safety Bureau confirmed that the ceiling tiles contained no asbestos, the mastic did contain asbestos and the air in the civic center is safe.
For the full story, go to the Watertown Daily Times.
