Asbestos Plagues Buffalo Demolition Projects
The presence of asbestos in two landmark Buffalo, New York structures is slowing the demolition of the buildings and costing the city a fortune as asbestos must be abated before the buildings can come down.
According to an article in The Buffalo News, the city is spending about $12 million in funds to remove the toxic mineral from the Memorial Auditorium and the Donovan State Office Building in downtown Buffalo prior to demolition.
“It’s an unavoidable, necessary part of getting those buildings gone so we can redevelop the Buffalo waterfront,” said Jordan A. Levy, chairman of the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. “We’re doing everything we can to get it out the fastest, safest way possible, but you can’t be cheap when it comes to asbestos removal.”
The article reports that since abatement efforts started in April (for the auditorium) and June (for the state building), licensed contractors have removed approximately 1,250 tons of asbestos-tainted materials from the buildings. If the material was not removed prior to demolition, asbestos fibers would become airborne, affecting those in the vicinity of the buildings, including both workers and nearby residents. Asbestos exposure is known to cause malignant mesothelioma, a serious cancer that affects the lining of the lungs, heart, or abdomen.
Removing asbestos from the auditorium has been especially cumbersome, officials note, because it’s been found in unusual places. One example cited the presence of a 1/16th inch asbestos membrane that formerly served as insulation for the ice surface, used for hockey and figure skating.
“So we can’t just bust up the floor as part of the demolition. We have to get that barrier out of there,” said Mark E. Smith, the harbor development agency’s director of construction.
In the office building, Smith indicated, asbestos is more predictable and usually can be found in floor and ceiling tiles and as pipe insulation.
In total, more than 100 asbestos-remediation specialists have been working at the two sites each day. It is hoped that abatement will be complete by the end of September.
