A seminar to be hosted by the Route 66 Asbestos Initiative will address the problem of asbestos abatement and disposal in small, often impoverished communities along Arizona’s famed Route 66, where the hazardous material is often handled improperly due to the lack of funds for proper removal.

Representatives at the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) will hold the seminar in the town of Kingman and will aim its content at contractors who often deal with abatement in older historic buildings in small towns throughout the state, says an article in the Kingman Daily Miner.

ADEQ Director Steve Owens launched the Route 66 Asbestos Initiative last year because he was concerned about improper removal procedures and the threat of asbestos exposure not only among contractors but also residents of the towns in question. Education was his main goal.

“Many small communities across the state have older buildings they want to preserve, renovate or even demolish that contain asbestos,” Owens said in a news release. “If asbestos is not handled properly during a renovation or demolition, it can present a huge risk to public health, as well as cause the site to become contaminated.”

“As part of the initiative, ADEQ designated an outreach specialist in its air-quality division to provide technical assistance, outreach and asbestos education to rural communities,” the article notes.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 6th, 2008 at 10:35 am and is filed under news. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.