Asbestos News

Work on the building formerly known as the Qualicum Beach Resort Hotel has steadily progressed, but the process may still need an extension, the Parksville Qualicum Beach News reports.

Randy Jenkins, the project manager for Magnum Project Management, told the news source that workers have unexpectedly discovered a small amount of asbestos in portions of the drywall. In addition, Jenkins said that certain parts of the building had many layers of drywall, some of which had been contaminated with the dangerous material.

As a result, testing is necessary, forcing Jenkins to consider requesting a two-week extension on their demolition permit.

"We are probably about half way through or more," Jenkins said. "However, there was more asbestos and contaminants in the building than first thought. There were four layers of drywall in the liquor store, so the scope has increased."

The current permit is only valid until the end of October, but Jenkins believes the project could take until the middle of November. He did add that the original estimate of being able to recycle 80 percent of the structure's materials could turn out to be higher.

Asbestos exposure has been proven to cause deadly diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the tissues surrounding most of the body's internal organs.