Sausalito Residents Fear Asbestos Dust
Officials for the city of
According to an article in the Marin Independent, work was being done by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on a $7 million renovation at the old South Pacific Division Laboratory at
“As part of the work, contractors dressed in hazardous materials suits Sunday began removing asbestos siding from the 37,500-square-foot, two-story yellow building,” the article notes. “As the work progressed, wind blew dust from the site into nearby neighborhoods and on boats, prompting concern among residents. Police and firefighters were called to the scene and ordered the work stopped.”
“There was a layer of dust on the boats nearby and there was dust in the air,” said Police Chief Scott Paulin. “The dust even coated the arriving police cars.”
On Monday, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District was called in to review the worksite and determine the presence of any dangers. They concluded that everything was being done properly and that no asbestos was being cut, broken open or crushed, which could lead to the release of fibers. However, there was no way for the agency to tell what had been released on Sunday.
“We are following all the proper procedures,” said Judi Cheary, a Veterans Affairs spokeswoman. “We are ready to start the work back up.”
Sausalito Planning Director Jeremy Graves said that “even if the material blown around was nothing more than dust and dirt,” the city would have appreciated a warning from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
“We knew nothing of it,” he said.
The article also notes that the soil and groundwater at the site of the new research center has been previously tested and came up positive for asbestos, arsenic and polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs. Since that time, the site has been cleaned.