Old Asbestos-Laden Building to Become Sports Complex

An abandoned warehouse in Metuchen, New Jersey, may soon be transformed into a brand new indoor sports complex.

A private contractor is planning to build the indoor recreation center on the current site on this abandoned warehouse.

The indoor sports complex will be a multi-purpose building, housing a variety of sporting spaces for different indoor sports.

The contractor hopes to have the building complete as soon as the end of the year. However, the developers are waiting for approval on the project from the state Department of Environmental Protection. The site has numerous environmental problems, as well as asbestos-related issues.

In addition to asbestos-laden roof tiles and brake pads located on the site, the land surrounding that area was also used as an approved asbestos landfill. Some asbestos has been buried there and capped with concrete.

The remaining asbestos will either be buried and capped with more concrete, or it will be trucked off-site for disposal. Concerns have been raised that if the asbestos is to be moved off-site, the process of packing it up for transport could actually break down the asbestos, leading to air contamination. Asbestos exposure can lead to severe health problems including lung cancer and mesothelioma.

It has not yet been decided how the asbestos will be disposed of at this site.

The Department of Environmental Protection is currently reviewing the plans. It is not yet known when the Department will give their approval to the proposed plan.