Wednesday, August 18th, 2010
In an effort to reduce risk of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases, asbestos abatement is set to begin August 23 on the Town Beach North Pavilion in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
The Town Beach North Pavilion structure dates back to the 1950s, when asbestos was commonly used in many construction materials. The pavilion presently contains asbestos in the wall paneling and roofing. Plans to replace the pavilion were dropped by the Town Council in June over conflicts regarding the $9.5 million proposal. It was at that time that the Town Council agreed to repair the degrading structure.
Asbestos is a toxic and naturally occurring mineral known to cause terminal health conditions such as malignant mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer. Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma annually. Prognosis is generally poor since the disease is usually undetected until it has progressed to later stages of development.
The local company Vortex will be performing the asbestos mitigation. Vortex is known for their asbestos removal in Narragansett’s contaminated schools. The company verified the presence of friable asbestos (which can release toxic fibers) in the roofing of the changing rooms and confirmed the asbestos in the wall paneling was encapsulated and safe. The company plans to pressure wash and paint the roofing of the changing rooms, a means of encapsulating and sealing off the asbestos fibers. Thus, the asbestos material itself will not be removed, but covered up to prevent the release of toxic fibers.
Town Manager Grady Miller explains,
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