Asbestos News

Despite appearing to be a long shot just a few months ago, the Missoula County Courthouse in Montana recently won $279,000 from the Environmental Protection Agency in order to aid the removal of asbestos.

According to the Missoulian, EPA Regional Administrator Jim Martin delivered the Environmental Protection Agency Brownfields grant along with an additional $400,000 contribution to a Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund to enable the city government to clean other properties throughout the city.

"I often point to Missoula as a community that’s figured out how to leverage these grants into larger projects," Martin said in the courthouse while presenting the grant. "We make the strategic investment, and you do the hard work."

The news source reports the courthouse renovation project includes new spaces for district court rooms, offices, public meeting rooms and clerk and recorder services. Though the grant will not pay for any architectural work, it will cover the removal of asbestos insulation, flooring and other building materials that are found during construction, according to the Missoulian.

The proper removal of asbestos during renovation projects is critical as the inhalation of the dangerous mineral fibers can lead to the development of lung cancer, asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer.