Cleanup continues at Parsons Paper fire site
The Parsons Paper mill in Holyoke, Massachusetts was ravaged by fire on June 9, 2008. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) held a public hearing to inform residents about how the cleanup is going.
The fire site is contaminated with asbestos that was used in the mill’s window caulking, roof shingles, and pipe and tank insulation. Work crews have been on the site five days a week to identify asbestos contamination and secure it for removal, as it is the only substance likely to have survived the fire aside from rubble.
When asbestos is disturbed, its fibers can become airborne. Inhaling asbestos fibers can cause mesothelioma and other forms of cancer. Keeping asbestos-contaminated materials wet and double-bagging the contaminated debris are approved ways of protecting workers and the public from asbestos exposure during the removal process.
National Vulcanized Fiber Co. is the owner of the former paper mill site. The city was already seeking $2.2 million in back taxes and utility bills. Now officials will also be seeking reimbursement of the $1.8 million provided by the federal government for asbestos abatement.
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