December 30th, 2005

It has been reported that a small amount of asbestos is to be removed from a courthouse next week. The Houghton County Courthouse was found to have a small amount of asbestos in the basement area, which had been used originally to seal the vents in the basement. The removal has been scheduled to take place next week.

Employees of the County Courthouse have been told to keep out of the area while work is underway, with signs warning them to steer clear of the area. A crawl space entrance was also blocked off, and warning signs had been placed there for employees.

An official has stated that there is no danger to the employees because of the measures that have already been taken. Eric Forsburg, the County Controller, states that the airways have been sealed off, which means that the asbestos will not contaminate the air outside of the sealed off areas.

Asbestos is a known carcinogen, and can cause a variety of health problems including a malignant cancer known as mesothelioma. This can occur when airborne asbestos fibers are breathed in or ingested over long periods or at high levels.