Pawtucket Ordered to Remediate Asbestos Found at City Hall by RI Department of Health
Tuesday, April 03, 2018
The City of Pawtucket has been ordered to put forth a remediation plan in response to asbestos found at Pawtucket City Hall by state inspectors.
And while the city said it is moving forward to comply, a critic of the administration is questioning why a complaint had to be filed to prompt action -- and how the city can afford to address infrastructure issues at a time it is trying to move to the Pawtucket Red Sox to a new publicly backed stadium at the former Apex site.
On March 20, Barbara Morin, Principal Health Toxicologist with the Department of Health wrote the following to Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“In response to a complaint, industrial hygienists from the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH), Center for Healthy Homes and Environment (CHHE), conducted an inspection of the fourth floor of the Pawtucket City Hall on March 14, 2018. The inspectors reported that ceiling tiles are extremely saturated and stained and that tarps are being used to funnel water leaking through the roof in the tower area into a recycling bin,” wrote Morin.
READ: See Full Letter from RI Department of Health BELOW
“They also observed areas were the ceiling tiles are missing, exposing pipes that are covered with asbestos pipe wrap. Due to the water damage, the pipe wrap has become friable. Note that friable asbestos can crumble or become a powder that can be inhaled by building occupants,” continued Morin.
The letter then went on to instruct the Mayor’s office to contact a chief compliance manager by April 13 with the city’s “plans for addressing this issue.”
Critic, Administration Respond
The RI Department of Health is ordering the City of Pawtucket to address asbestos at City Hall (pictured).
“Last year, I contacted [Mayor Grebien and the city] about the air in the City Hall building. My concerns were met with silence. I let them know that I always have breathing issues after leaving that building and felt someone should take a look to see why,” said Farinelli. “Visiting that building 2-3 times a month and noticing that my breathing was affected, I could only imagine what the people that work here are feeling.”
“So with the continued silence and many people reaching out to me about how they have breathing issues in this building, we formed a volunteer group to test the 4th floor. We took samples and had those samples tested at a DOH approved lab. When our testing came back positive for lead and asbestos, DOH jumped in,” continued Farinelli. “DOH Inspected the City Hall 4th floor and confirmed it is a health issue. The report came back as friable Asbestos meaning it is crumbling from that 4th floor.
"We have a closed fire station in Pawtucket because that building isn't safe, we have schools that are in deplorable conditions. Our team has also got information that the schools have not passed fire code and calls about this have gone unanswered. [Grebien] seems to want to spend our money on the PawSox but letting our city building fall apart. If all our buildings were brought up to health and safety standards, our city would bankrupt," said Farinelli. "The taxpayers voted in 2016 to spend over $5 million on that tower and nothing has moved forward."
The City acknowledged in a response on March 23 that they are working to address the issue.
“The health and well-being of our employees and constituents of the City of Pawtucket is our highest priority,” wrote William Viera, the Acting Department of Public Works Director. “Addressing this potential risk has been authorized for immediate remediation. We have contacted qualified abatement contractors to provide a plan to remedy the asbestos situation.”
Related Articles
- Speaker Mattiello Targeted By City of Pawtucket with Ads in Cranston Newspaper
- Pawtucket City Councilor Rudd on Opposition to Transfer Station Expansion on GoLocal LIVE
- Lucchino Says PawSox Have Identified Attleboro Site As Alternative to Apex Location in Pawtucket
- Care New England Claims They Will Continue in Pawtucket Area, But Refuse to Give Details
- Fecteau Looking to Run for Pawtucket State Senate Seat
- LIVE: Pawtucket’s Wishart Will Race in World Marathon Challenge
- Did Pawtucket Chase the Wrong Ball — Memorial, Gamm, and Potentially Hasbro All Gone
- NEW: The Gamm to Move from Pawtucket to Warwick, Into Former Home of Ocean State Theater Co.
- Security Expert Amore to Talk Stolen Artwork at Pawtucket Library This Thursday
- Kinch Says PawSox Deal is a Threat to Pawtucket’s Finances
- LIVE: Pawtucket Based Artist Burkett Directs First Art Providence Holiday Show
- Pawtucket Public Library Awarded $60K Grant by Champlin Foundation
- Bristol County Savings Bank Awards $82K in Grants to 14 Pawtucket Non-Profits
- Pawtucket-Central Falls Train Station: 18 to Watch in 2018
- Bristol County Savings Bank Names Zoppo Manager of Pawtucket Office
- Cano Wins Democratic Primary for Senate District 8 in Pawtucket
- Pawtucket Hall of Fame Seeking Nominations for 2018 Class
- City of Pawtucket Announces Warming Center Locations
- “PawSox Will End Up on Ballot, or Leave,” Says Former Pawtucket City Councilman Kinch
- Pawtucket Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Selling Methamphetamine
- Grebien Seeks Pawtucket Residents Interested in Serving on City Boards & Commissions
- Whitcomb: Holiday Intensity; Panic in Pawtucket; Stoned While Driving; ‘Riskiest Moment of Our Lives
- PawSox to Change Name to Osos Polares de Pawtucket During Tuesday Home Games
