Asbestos News

Officials in an Illinois county recently voted to hold off on renovation plans at an aging courthouse after a report showed high levels of asbestos in the structure.

The Knox County Board's building committee decided to hold off on the renovation of the Knox County Courthouse in Galesburg, according to the Galesburg Register-Mail.

County Board member Wayne Saline said that voting to stop the proposed $3 million renovation work was important.

"When the lawsuits start coming I’m going to be clean," he said. "Anyone who votes yes is going to be risking patrons’ and employees' lives."

Many older buildings contain asbestos as the naturally occurring mineral was once widely used because of its utility as an insulator and resistance to fire. However, since the mid-1960s it has been known that exposure to asbestos could cause a number of serious illnesses such as malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer.

Due to these risks, asbestos needs to be abated prior to many renovation projects and all demolition work.

County board member Paul Stewart accused Saline of "fear mongering" during the meeting, according to the news source.