NY Town Dealing with Contamination in Demolished Building

The Weedsport, NY Village Board has decided to take action to remove debris from a demolished building that has posed health risks for years.

The owners of the demolished house located at 8803 South St. in Weedsport have repeatedly ignored requests to properly remove the debris at the site.

The building was torn down illegally, and without the proper permits. Now someone will have to obtain the proper permits to take charge of the situation. Two options have presented themselves. Either the owners must be forced by a court order to take responsibility for the site, or the town can take matters into their own hands, and charge the cost back to the owners of the property.

The board is now accepting bids for the project.

The Coyle’s, who own the building in question, had been issued a court order in 2008 after not responding to repeated requests for action. A deadline of Dec. 5, 2008, was set, and the Coyle’s were instructed complete demolition and removal of debris, including proper disposal of asbestos.

The asbestos will need to be removed in order to protect the health of the community. If inhaled, tiny asbestos particles can work their way into the soft tissues of the body, leading to mesothelioma cancer in the heart, lungs, or abdominal cavity.

Asbestos is banned in dozens of countries, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia, but the use of the deadly substance is still legal in the United States.

Asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral, was until the eighties in the past to create insulation, siding, and tiles. Asbestos has a natural resistance to fire or chemical damage.