White House Demolition Sparks Health Concerns Over Asbestos Plumes
The hasty demolition of the East Wing at the White House has raised concerns about potential asbestos exposure among workers and passersby. The project, which began last week, involves the removal of a structure built in 1902, featuring extensive use of asbestos, a known carcinogen.
According to a report by The Washington Post, no concrete evidence confirms that abatement processes were carried out before demolition started. Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) president Linda Reinstein pointed out that federal law requires comprehensive asbestos inspection and notification before demolition, which appears not to have been done in this instance.
Despite the White House's assertion of having conducted necessary abatement work, documentation on inspections or the process has not been made public, and companies involved in the project, including ACECO, remain unnamed. Photographs show clouds of dust emanating from the site, with workers seen without personal protective equipment.
The demolition has also drawn tourists to the area, raising concerns about potential health risks. Mitigation efforts include water hoses to suppress hazardous dust clouds, though these measures have been criticized as insufficient by health advocates.
In a letter to President Trump last week, Reinstein urged full asbestos inspection and abatement before any demolition begins. She expressed dismay that no response has been received from the White House. In his 1997 book "The Art of the Comeback," Trump had previously stated that asbestos was "100% safe once applied" but acknowledged it was not a mob-related issue.
Senator Edward Markey (D-Mass.) recently asked ACECO about adherence to federal health and safety standards, while Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) called for "lawful transparency" regarding the asbestos abatement plan.
The hasty demolition of the East Wing at the White House has raised concerns about potential asbestos exposure among workers and passersby. The project, which began last week, involves the removal of a structure built in 1902, featuring extensive use of asbestos, a known carcinogen.
According to a report by The Washington Post, no concrete evidence confirms that abatement processes were carried out before demolition started. Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) president Linda Reinstein pointed out that federal law requires comprehensive asbestos inspection and notification before demolition, which appears not to have been done in this instance.
Despite the White House's assertion of having conducted necessary abatement work, documentation on inspections or the process has not been made public, and companies involved in the project, including ACECO, remain unnamed. Photographs show clouds of dust emanating from the site, with workers seen without personal protective equipment.
The demolition has also drawn tourists to the area, raising concerns about potential health risks. Mitigation efforts include water hoses to suppress hazardous dust clouds, though these measures have been criticized as insufficient by health advocates.
In a letter to President Trump last week, Reinstein urged full asbestos inspection and abatement before any demolition begins. She expressed dismay that no response has been received from the White House. In his 1997 book "The Art of the Comeback," Trump had previously stated that asbestos was "100% safe once applied" but acknowledged it was not a mob-related issue.
Senator Edward Markey (D-Mass.) recently asked ACECO about adherence to federal health and safety standards, while Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) called for "lawful transparency" regarding the asbestos abatement plan.
This whole thing is a classic case of govt prioritizing progress over public safety 
. I mean, come on, you're talking about demolishing part of the White House without even doing a basic asbestos inspection? That's just reckless 
. And now we've got tourists and workers at risk because of it 
. It's all about lining up the right donors for your next 'art' project 
.
If he was really confident in his claim that asbestos is safe, wouldn't he be out there defending himself and telling us what's going on behind the scenes? 
. And now a bunch of senators are stepping up to ask questions 
. This whole thing just reeks of an administration trying to sweep something under the rug 
.
. The public deserves to know what's going on behind closed doors 
. No wonder the ADAO is sounding the alarm 
. This is exactly why we need stronger regulations around asbestos removal 
.
! They're just demolishing a building with tons of asbestos without doing any proper cleanup? It's crazy that they're not even being transparent about it 
This is not the first time we've seen something like this happen and it's just frustrating 
. The fact that workers aren't wearing proper gear and tourists are showing up to gawk at the demolition site without any safety precautions? 
. I mean, who knew they were gonna tear down part of it without checking if there was toxic stuff like asbestos inside? It's not just a little dust, it's like, a known carcinogen that can really hurt you! 
And what's with all these companies just showing up and working on the site without anyone wearing masks or anything? 
I get that construction is gonna be messy, but come on, you gotta keep people safe!
. And what really gets me is that there are all these people in line to make sure this doesn't happen again (I guess), but nobody seems to be listening right now 
.
. Like, water hoses and all that... it's not perfect, but better than nothing, right? And hey, at least the White House is being proactive about making sure people are safe, even if they didn't do everything by the book initially.
.
. And what really gets my goat is that no one seems to know if the asbestos was properly handled beforehand 
). I'm not sure why the White House isn't being more transparent about this – it's just basic common sense 
.
Those workers should be wearing PPE at least, and the public shouldn't have to be exposed to that toxic dust either. It's like they're playing a game of Russian roulette... and it's not just the workers who are at risk, it's tourists too 