Asbestos concerns in Northampton County buildings

Poor indoor air quality in
buildings can be a problem.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched an investigation to determine if complaints about asbestos in several Northampton County buildings are justified, according to a recent article in the Express-Times.

After receiving numerous tips and perceiving a growing concern about the indoor air quality in public buildings, EPA is preparing a report and may issue a number of fines.

Asbestos is a “public safety concern,” one of the agency’s experts says.

The buildings in question include a nursing home and the courthouse, among others.

Dangers of asbestos exposure

Asbestos fibers are too small to be seen with the naked eye, but they can be inhaled deep into the lungs, where they can damage lung tissue and cause scar tissue to form. The result is a disease called asbestosis.

People can be exposed to asbestos when they are n an area containing airborne asbestos fibers, after material containing the asbestos is drilled, cut, abraded, sanded, chipped, or sawed during a renovation, for example.

Indoor air pollutants and worker health and safety

"Sick" buildings with poor indoor air quality can expose workers and employees to airborne chemicals, VOCs, particles, dust, allergens, bacteria, viruses, mold spores, mold mycotoxins, fumes and vapors.

Ventilation systems are often unable to supply an adequate amount of fresh air to occupants.

Electrocorp offers industrial air cleaners for facility management, offices, mold and asbestos abatement and many other industrial and commercial applications.

The air cleaners contain a complete, multistage filtration system with activated carbon and HEPA to remove a wide range of indoor air pollutants.

Contact Electrocorp for more information and product recommendations.