Coming to Terms with Asbestos

Think about it: the connector wing was built in 1952...that's 59 years ago, when asbestos was one of the greatest things since sliced bread! So, what do you suppose we have to deal with as we deconstruct the connector wing? ASBESTOS, that's right!

Eric Mercer from ECS Mid-Atlantic was at WPC today collecting samples of asbestos from the connector wing. ECS specializes in all kinds of environmental issues, from geotechnical to construction materials to facility use. Here's Eric, getting a sample (of course I'd have my camera handy for such photo ops!)...


Eric Mercer, Environmental Manager, ECS Mid-Atlantic

I've learned right much about asbestos recently. Asbestos is a Greek word, ἄσβεστος, which delights this student of Greek language! Its meaning is close to "unquenchable". Asbestos is a formation of 6 minerals strung together in crystal fiber-like formations. Here's a picture of asbestos I found online:

It's pretty, isn't it? Hard to tell by looking at it that people can become sick by inhaling it. As I was told by one trusted doctor, you can actually eat asbestos and not get sick (who would even want to?); it's in the inhalation of asbestos that people may develop lung problems.

So, the long and short of my asbestos education is that it has to be carefully removed from the connector wing as part of our demolition process. That's why Eric was on site this morning. We'll have a report from the asbestos analysis in the next few days, and then we'll know how to proceed with abatement.

Fascinating, huh?