Asbestos News
Small amounts of asbestos found in burned building in Canada
Trace amounts of asbestos were found in the rubble of a burned out building in the Canadian province of British Columbia.Despite the presence of the naturally occurring carcinogen, officials are saying that the Downtown Manor in Port Alberni does not pose a health risk to those in the area, according to the Alberni Valley News.
Local fire chief Tim Pley said that because the building was constructed during a time when asbestos was widely used as a flame retardant and insulator, officials were worried that asbestos might be present. While asbestos was found by a consultant, the levels were low.
"They found that the asbestos levels outside the fence were 1,000 times lower than the accepted threshold," Pley told the news source.
Caution is essential in the world of asbestos management as exposure to the substance can cause a number of deadly illnesses such as malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer.
Still, asbestos is present to some degree at the building so when the remaining structure is torn down, workers will have to take precautions to ensure they do not inhale any of the deadly mineral fibers.
7/12/11
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