Asbestos News

The demolition of a number of buildings in Michigan must undergo asbestos abatement prior to being torn down, reports the Port Huron Times Herald.

Bill Kauffman, administrator for St. Clair County, told the news provider that the asbestos removal is expected to begin over the course of the next few weeks.

"We're hoping that the buildings will all be down and the sites all cleaned up and seeded by late summer," Kauffman said.

He added that the project will help to enable the county to sell the properties, making them more attractive to potential buyers. Some of the buildings being demolished had reportedly been a liability for the city, due to vandalism and deteriorating conditions, Kauffman explained.

It is crucial that asbestos is handled with care during demolition work as the dangerous mineral fibers can become airborne when loosened. The inhalation of such fibers has been proven to cause a range of serious illnesses including asbestosis, lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer that occurs in the tissues surrounding a majority of the body's inner organs.