Reader comments
Demolition dust worries Utah doctors

I watch part of the demolition out my window and routinely see workers spraying down concrete with water as it is being demolished. As a person with asthma, I am comfortable with the steps they are taking.

The problem is the content of the dust. I have seen copies of air monitoring performed at other implosion sites and the dust cloud exceeds the EPA regulations on silica by several thousand fold. The duist cloud also contains heavy metals including lead.
The law only allows for all visible asbestos to be removed. I gurantee you there is still some asbestos in the building.

Here is a thought, don't get too near the implosion when the bank tower comes down!

Bruce - I am glad you have confidence in the wind not to blow anything dangerous around. I will stay away but some work and live in the general area and when the dust settles, who knows where, all kinds of stuff might be left around.

I think when a company is going to do an implosions or a demolition, they should find a company that can contain the building or the surrounding buildings so the dust cannot go everywhere. I have read of a shrink-wrap company called Global Wrap LLC, that does containment work for implosions and explosions.....maybe companies should look into that before any dust settles.

Marie, you are 100% correct. As an EGA I have paid for millions of dollars of cleanup due to the friable asbestos which came from implosions as well as other damages resulting from incomplete and inadequate class one (1) CONTAINMENT.

It would behoove any contractor to investigate and take the appropriate pro-active measures before starting the project.

The insurance industry will certainly have an interest in how and why any containment was either not done or not properly done ad could deny a claim which would then cost the contractor significant funds.

Caveat emptor.