Asbestos News
Number of Canadian buildings to be tested for asbestos
The Halifax, Canada Regional Municipality is in the process of seeking out a contractor to complete asbestos testing at 12 buildings in the area.According to the Chronicle Herald, Phil Townsend, director of infrastructure and asset management for the Halifax Regional Municipality, explained that the testing is necessary under an asbestos abatement program.
The contractor needs to "examine flooring, walls, ceilings, doors, windows, piping systems, ducts, mechanical equipment, electrical equipment and roofs," the call for bids says.
Bidders have reportedly been told that they will need to take approximately 50 samples from each building, with the work being completed after office hours, according to the news source.
It is crucial that asbestos be completely removed from buildings as exposure to the carcinogenic material can cause lung cancer, asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer that occurs in the tissues surrounding a majority of the body's internal organs.
According to the World Health Organization, such illnesses kill approximately 107,000 people around the world each year.
8/8/11
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