North Carolina Town May Have Violated Asbestos Laws

An architect who volunteered to lend her expertise on renovations for the new town hall in Marshall, North Carolina, has now filed a complaint with the Occupational, Safety and Health Administration.

Katherine Bond believes the town may have improperly removed asbestos from a city building.

“What started as a concern over a potential fire hazard with new insulation being placed on an existing ceiling has resulted in the improper removal of material which I believe contains asbestos,” Bond wrote in her letter.

“This material was removed by town employees without proper equipment and job site safety procedures.”

Exposure to asbestos increases the risk of developing lung disease. Asbestos inhalation has been linked to asbestosis, which is a non-cancerous, inflammatory disease of the lungs. Asbestos is also linked to pleural mesothelioma, which is a rare form of cancer that affects the lining of the lungs.

North Carolina state law requires that asbestos-containing materials to be removed prior to any activity that will disturb the material, such as renovations or demolition. This is to prevent the asbestos from becoming airborne.

“Only North Carolina accredited asbestos professionals can perform these activities,” says the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

Town Alderman Luther Nix said Thursday that he felt the renovations for the town hall were OSHA compliant, but he would invite OSHA to inspect the work to assure that it was being done correctly.

Bond is a licensed architect who owns her own firm in Marshall.