May 29th, 2008

While old carpeting was being replaced at a Michigan city hall building, asbestos was found in the flooring tiles. The office was sealed off, and the City Manager said that abatement was being done.

When old carpet was being removed from a Michigan city hall, the City Manger thought that he may have to stay out of the building for a couple of days. But after asbestos was found below the old carpet, he has now been in a makeshift office for a couple of weeks. The asbestos was found in floor tiles beneath the carpet, and had not yet reached a point where it could become airborne. The office is now scheduled for abatement, or licensed removal, by a certified company.

The asbestos is not a health concern at this point, since the material was intact and did not appear to be in danger of becoming airborne. When asbestos breaks apart, particles can become friable and then can be inhaled or ingested into the body. Breathing in friable asbestos has been known to cause many different types of diseases, including a form of cancer called mesothelioma. Mesothelioma and other respiratory diseases usually occur only when exposed to airborne asbestos. The City Manager said that other parts of City Hall would undergo abatement only if carpeting was replaced in those areas.