Asbestos inspection required before cleanup can continue at California fire site
The California mountain community of Cedar Glen was ravaged by a fire that destroyed more than 300 homes in October 2003. Cleanup efforts are still going on, and South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) has told cleanup workers that the demolition site must be checked for asbestos. A spokesman for AQMD stated that it’s highly unlikely that asbestos would be found there, but the inspection still needs to be completed.
A county spokesman stated that Cedar Glen underwent asbestos inspections four years ago, and he doesn’t expect the cleanup timeline to change. The county Board of Supervisors plans on awarding jobs to contractors on September 15 to crush and remove any remaining concrete from Cedar Glen. Property owners who are not rebuilding are required to pay for any demolition work done by contractors hired by the county or to hire their own demolition contractors.
If asbestos is discovered during the required inspections, a licensed asbestos contractor will have to come in and remove the contaminated materials. Asbestos is a toxic substance that was commonly used in building materials until its health hazards became widely known. Exposure to asbestos can cause asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma, a rare but serious form of cancer that targets the lining surrounding the lungs and other organs.
For the full story, go to Contra Costa Times.
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