Fear of Mesothelioma Forces an Investigation on Illinois EPA Headquarters

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is experiencing a turn-around, as its own employees say they’re getting sick as a result of working in the agency’s headquarters.

The agency has since been examining records pertaining to its headquarters to try and determine what hazardous substances workers might be exposed to.

Having reviewed the records, EPA officials have recommended testing for radon and mercury, two toxins that the agency suspects might be present in the building.

In addition, the likelihood of asbestos being present in the building is definitely a possibility. The substance was used in the construction industry throughout much of the twentieth century, and is now the hassle of many people living or working in a building constructed prior to the 1980s.

Joyce Munie, who manages cleanup programs for the Illinois branch of the agency, says that agency memos from the last several decades indicate the building is safe, but there is data missing pertaining to asbestos. Included among the missing data are asbestos inspection reports, which should have been performed twice every year.

However, the last inspection the EPA shows on record is dated 2001, meaning it’s possible that inspections have not been carried out in the last seven years.

Yearly asbestos inspections are necessary to ensure the substance is in good condition and hasn’t deteriorated to the point where toxic asbestos fibers might be inhalable. The inhalation of these fibers can cause a range of serious lung diseases, including asbestosis and mesothelioma.

Malignant mesothelioma is especially troublesome due the severe latency period that is associated with the disease. In most cases, the disease is not diagnosed until it has reached the advanced stages of development.

Other potential hazards in the building include mercury, radon, and PCBs. In an ironic twist, the agency’s headquarters is the site of a former electrical manufacturing plant, which has had a history of environmental safety problems.

In 1997, for example, the then-owner of the building was fined by the EPA for improper handling of PCBs. In 1993, evidence of asbestos and the existence of underground storage tanks containing benzene were found. All three substances are known carcinogens.

Even now, it apparently is not clear just who owns the building, nor even what company is responsible for its upkeep. The people who work in the building have just now reported continual suffering of respiratory problems and mesothelioma symptoms, but hopefully it’s not too late.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 11th, 2008 at 11:44 am and is filed under Asbestos Exposure, Asbestos Testing, Mesothelioma. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS feed. Responses are currently closed, but you trackback from your own site.