Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

The Monroe County, Pennsylvania, Housing Authority has undertaken an effort to remove asbestos pipe insulation from several housing projects in Stroudsburg, Stroud Township and East Stroudsburg, but assures residents there is no danger, according to a recent story in the Pocono Record. The measure is simply a preventative action to prevent future asbestos exposure, officials say.

The housing projects include residences along Garden Street, Hawthorne Terrace, Normal Street and Taylor Street, which were constructed in the 1950s. Asbestos in these structures covers pipes as insulation. According to the Pocono Record, an engineer hired by the Housing Authority has assured the organization that the asbestos materials are not hazardous in their present state, as they are not releasing any airborne particles that might be a threat for inhalation or ingestion.

Asbestos causes diseases including asbestosis, which is a severe scarring of the lungs, and mesothelioma, a deadly form of cancer that affects the lining of the lungs and, more rarely, the abdomen.

The news report says the Housing Authority will hire a properly certified asbestos abatement company to remove the asbesots, and all precautions will be taken to protect residents during the removal. Work is expected to begin April 15.

A recent report by the BBC raised alarms in the area of Kent, in the United Kingdom, after an examination of schools in the South East showed 92 percent of facilities contain asbestos. However, the Kent County Council’s (KCC) property group maintains the asbestos is “contained” and managed so that it poses “minimal risk” to youngers and teachers.

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Demolition at a downtown Champaign, Ill., site continues today after a brief halt to remove asbestos-containing materials found last Tuesday. According to a report in The News-Gazette, asbestos was found covering pipes in the walls of a building on Neil Street.

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Feb. 5 that Anderson-Wilcox Corp. and Cutting Edge Concepts II LLC have agreed to pay a fine of $300,000 for improper removal and disposal of asbestos at a New Haven, Conn., site. This is a settlement agreement between the companies, the EPA, and the U.S. Attorney’s office for the District of Connecticut.

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