Demolition of the former Iowan Motor Lodge in Fort Madison, Iowa, was halted after officials found asbestos on-site, a report by the Fort Madison Daily Democrat says. Tests of structure samples by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources found asbestos in the building.
Tom Wuhr, a representative from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ Asbestos National Emissions Standards for Air Pollutants, said the report that original tests showed no signs of contamination but the second round showed a 3.5 percent contamination level. Acceptable levels, the report says, are 1 percent or less.
Since the building is partially demolished, the building owners must pay a crew to legally abate the asbestos or allow the city to declare the building unsound and an eminent danger. The report says the latter would cause an exception to abatement, but an abatement contractor would still have to oversee demolition.
The report says contractor Meller Excavating & Asphalt, Fort Madison, has demolished half of the building and separated the debris on the property. Since finding the contamination, they can no longer haul the material from the jobsite and must hire a hauler.
Originally, the structure was scheduled to be demolished by late fall, but with Meller receiving more work orders and having to pause demolition on this project, completion has been pushed back to early winter.
No more results found. Tom Wuhr, a representative from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ Asbestos National Emissions Standards for Air Pollutants, said the report that original tests showed no signs of contamination but the second round showed a 3.5 percent contamination level. Acceptable levels, the report says, are 1 percent or less.
Since the building is partially demolished, the building owners must pay a crew to legally abate the asbestos or allow the city to declare the building unsound and an eminent danger. The report says the latter would cause an exception to abatement, but an abatement contractor would still have to oversee demolition.
The report says contractor Meller Excavating & Asphalt, Fort Madison, has demolished half of the building and separated the debris on the property. Since finding the contamination, they can no longer haul the material from the jobsite and must hire a hauler.
Originally, the structure was scheduled to be demolished by late fall, but with Meller receiving more work orders and having to pause demolition on this project, completion has been pushed back to early winter.