The United States banned asbestos in the early 1990s. However, asbestos still finds a place in sealed items like car brakes these days and there is always the chance of uncovering old asbestos. Old buildings and machinery often insulated their walls and floors with asbestos due to its fireproof properties.
When renovating an old building, it is important to take every precaution in order to avoid an asbestos exposure. Without those precautions, businesses risk the long-term health of people around their projects. As NPR Illinois reports, a grocery store remained open to the public while failing to contain asbestos during renovations.
Asbestos locked in the tiles
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency issued a seal order on the grocery store shortly after receiving reports of observations of broken tiles in public areas. While a spokesperson with the store insisted that safety is a big commitment of the business, the complaint alleges several points of improper removal such as:
- Failing to keep asbestos wet during removal
- Failing to contain and properly dispose of waste material containing asbestos
- Unnecessarily risking public health by keeping the store open
It is uncertain whether the store owes remediation over the incident or how much that may cost.
Asbestos in the body
Asbestos is naturally occurring, but it is dangerous to humans exposed to it. An exposure risks long-term health problems with symptoms that may not manifest for decades. Anyone who believes they experienced an exposure due to negligence may wish to learn more about asbestos in general as well as their unique situation to determine what steps to take next.