LUCEA, Hanover — THE Hanover Health Department is raising concerns over the unsupervised removal and disposal of hazardous, asbestos-tainted building material on the sight of the Lucea Infirmary.

The issue was raised recently by the Chief Public Health Inspector attached to the Hanover Health Department, Derrick Storer, during the monthly sitting of the Hanover Parish Council.

Storer said the handling and removal of the potentially cancer-causing asbestos material — apparently by workmen at the site — is of great concern to the authorities including the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the National Environmental and Planning Agency (NEPA).

“We are not happy with how it is being done,” Storer said. He told the council meeting that “in the event of the removal and disposal (of the hazardous material)… a work plan indicating intention to remove and dispose of the asbestos should be submitted for approval from NEPA prior to the commencement of the activity… Upon the approval of the work plan NEPA and the MOH should be given at least 5 working days’ notification of the commencement of the planned activities to facilitate the monitoring of these activities.”

He explained that only specially trained persons should undertake the removal of asbestos-containing material. Asbestos was a preferred building material worldwide up to the middle of the 20th century, before its hazardous nature was confirmed. Experts say asbestos exposure becomes dangerous when high concentrations of fibres are inhaled over a long period.

“As asbestos is classified as hazardous, for safety of yourself, workers, clients and those around, only trained professionals with the requisite experience should prepare the work plan and undertake in the removal process,” said Storer.

“Final disposal may be done by the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) or application may be done to an agency or hazardous waste storage transportation treatment or disposal,” he added.

A new infirmary is currently being constructed at a cost of $32 million on the grounds of the old infirmary which still houses residents.

Storer told the meeting that samples from the site were collected late last year and sent for testing. The results came back recently with a positive ID for asbestos.

“We did a report on it and we took samples and sent it to the University of the West Indies lab for testing and the sample came back… The sample was sent on the 31/03/2011 and the sample came back to show that the material from the old roof…the asbestos type is chrysotile which is forty to sixty per cent asbestos,” Storer said.

He told councillors that “as soon as asbestos is disturbed then it causes any amount of health dangers” which he said was the reason “the (unsupervised) pulling down and disposal of the roof material of the old Infirmary,” should be prevented.