Pat Guth contributes news and insightful content for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance. Bio »
September 16, 2013
West Point, Mississippi - It’s a scenario that’s repeated frequently throughout the country. Old plants and other industrial facilities sit vacant until the new owner or the local municipality decides they’ve become an eyesore and/or a danger to the public. Demolition is then scheduled, but often no one takes into account that most of these facilities were built using materials that contain asbestos, making demolition without first removing the asbestos a hazard.
Recently, that was the case at the former Bryan Foods plant in West Point, Mississippi, scheduled for demolition after sitting vacant for more than six years. The plant, originally owned by Sara Lee Corporation and an employer for 1,200 people, was once the heart of West Point.
According to a story aired on WTVA-TV in Tupelo, demolition work at Bryan Foods had to be halted last week when contractors discovered asbestos, a mineral used for decades because of its strength and its fire-resistant properties.
Crews were immediately pulled off the job and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality was called in to investigate the situation. They’ll be running a series of tests to determine what might need to be done before demolition of the plant continues, including asbestos removal where necessary. In the meantime, the city of West Point is using a Brownfield grant to further analyze the site for other contaminants, the story reported.
When a building is demolished without first removing asbestos materials, workers at the site as well as those who live nearby are left at risk for asbestos exposure. Old, crumbly asbestos, when smashed in the demolition process, can release tiny fibers into the air, where they can be inhaled by anyone not protected by a respirator or mask. As a result of asbestos inhalation, individuals have the potential for developing serious respiratory diseases, including mesothelioma cancer, which usually attacks the lining of the lungs and is very difficult to treat.
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