Missoula Contractors Ignoring Asbestos Controls

Missoula Contractors Ignoring Asbestos Controls

Missoula Contractors Ignoring Asbestos Controls

Thursday, April 23rd, 2009

Contractors and building owners in Missoula are reportedly failing when it comes to abiding with state law requirements regarding asbestos removal.

One requirement that seems to be particularly hard to follow is giving notification about plans for demolition and renovation.

Records Serve as Proof

The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) reportedly compared its demolition records with those that the city of Missoula kept during a three-year period beginning in 1999.

From the 100 demolitions that happened during this time, the state agency documented that they were only informed once.

“That tells me that Missoula was 99-percent noncompliant with one of our regulations,” states John Podolinsky, who works for the asbestos control program at the DEQ. “It also tells me, as a regulator, that those demolitions probably also failed to be inspected for asbestos.”

State of Montana Under Criticism

The study also found that the state of Montana was 78 percent noncompliant with asbestos regulations at the turn of the century.

Podolinsky and his partner, Pierre Amicucci, are attempting to get the city of Missoula to help them enforce stricter regulations in hopes that contractors will take better precaution when handling asbestos.

“There are over 3,000 materials that were made with asbestos at one time, and that’s what’s in our older homes,” says Don Verrue, from the Missoula building code office. “If there’s any way we can eliminate exposure to asbestos to prevent any related illness, that’s the way we’re going to go.”

(Source: Missoulian)

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This entry was posted on Thursday, April 23rd, 2009 at 12:00 am.
Missoula Contractors Ignoring Asbestos Controls