November 27th, 2007

The council representing Lake County, Indiana could not be happier to pay more than $220,000 in bills. The bills are the last installment for asbestos work that has taken almost 20 years to complete.

Most would think that no county would be happy to write a check for $220,000 for asbestos removal. But the council representing Lake County, Indiana is more than happy to pay the money. The $220,000 check is the last installment of almost $12 million that has been spent to remove deadly asbestos from the county. The work has taken almost 20 years, while the budget has repeatedly been increased over that time. Each time the contractor would come back with more bills, and a longer time frame. In 2006, Lake County told the contractor to finish up the project at hand, cutting them off from any further bills or work.

Licensed professionals must complete asbestos removal in order to keep the public safe. When asbestos is removed improperly, that hazardous substance can break into airborne particles. These particles can be breathed in, causing illnesses like asbestosis, emphysema and mesothelioma, a type of aggressive lung cancer. Mesothelioma results from asbestos fibers being stuck in the lungs, slowly suffocating the victim.