City Changes Asbestos Requirements

Article Added October 25th, 2006 - Print This Story - Bookmark This Story

Colorado has seen its share of asbestos problems over the last few months. One city ahs decided that reactive measures are no longer enough. The city’s regulations for handling asbestos have been updated as of the last Council meeting.

Lamar City has been watching the headlines, noticing that the number of asbestos issues has been rising. Instead of reacting to situations that are already hazardous, the city has released a new set of regulations regarding asbestos and the handling of the material. The new measures are a direct attempt to keep the public from harmful asbestos exposure during routine renovations and demolition. Asbestos was used widely as a form of insulation and a fireproofing material prior to the 1980s, when it was banned due to its harmful nature.

Asbestos does not pose a threat to the public if it is not disturbed. Once disturbed, during renovations, demolition or just small repairs to a structure, the material breaks into fibers, which can be breathed in. The fibers lodge in the lung lining, keeping the tissue there from absorbing oxygen. The tissue dies, and the victims end up suffocating over an extended period of time. Mesothelioma, the name of this type of cancer, often is not detected until the condition is untreatable, and may take years to manifest.

Article Added October 25th, 2006 - Print This Story - Bookmark This Story