Asbestos Warnings Near Public Place: Too Little, Too Late?
While Councilman Bill de Blasio’s office says it distributed more than 300 fliers informing people that asbestos was being removed at a warehouse that’ll be demolished in order to make way for the large Public Place development, some nearby residents say they were in the dark about the potentially hazardous procedure. “I live at 204…
While Councilman Bill de Blasio’s office says it distributed more than 300 fliers informing people that asbestos was being removed at a warehouse that’ll be demolished in order to make way for the large Public Place development, some nearby residents say they were in the dark about the potentially hazardous procedure. “I live at 204 Huntington Street, the apartment complex directly opposite the warehouse and I never received anything in the mail nor was anything posted on our building’s board (we have A LOT of kids in our building and had a notice been sent or left, I or one of the many parents in the building would have posted it immediately both in the building and on our parents’ Yahoo board),” one resident told us yesterday. “This warehouse is directly across the street from a large public park yet there are no signs in the park warning parents about what is going on.” A spokesperson for Councilman de Blasio’s office said yesterday that asbestos removal at the warehouse “is done,” and that “we spoke to the air quality monitoring company, and no asbestos entered the air in or around the site.” Gowanus Lounge covered some neighbors’ unease over lack of notification about the removal, which was occurring last week. A person who is a member of Community Board 6’s Environment and Public Safety Committe wrote the following to GL: “Last week they removed 125,000 square feet of asbestos contaminated roofing in the open air with no DOB permits and no community awareness. As a nearby resident with a small child I feel at risk.”
Confusion Over Public Place Asbestos Removal [Gowanus Lounge] GMAP
For those interested in seeing some pics of the site and my concerns you can check this out.
http://www.pbase.com/dentontay/asb
BTW- Denton was really helpful in hosting these for me.
No, you’re not sorry, DENT. You’re an ass. And once again, you make no mention whatsoever to the point of my email. I think your head, while perhaps filled, FILLED I tell you, with industrial knowledge, is also a foot thick.
It wasn’t about the information, it was about your condescending and intentionally demeaning delivery. Funny how you now balk at my somehow belittling your attempts at “just giving the benefit of your information” when that was all I said I would have wanted (had I lived there), including the information ascertaining with certainty that we would be safe.
And fyi, I used to work for a state senator here in Manhattan and saw PLENTY of cases in which the City “saw fit” for some particular work to proceed in some particular neighborhood, when it most assuredly shouldn’t have. So forgive me if I’m a little jaded.
Sorry, NOK. I’ve tried to share knowledge I’ve developed from thirty years of industrial knowledge in the fluid sealing and motion control industries across the international marine, oilfield, local ship repair, power generation, and other industries. You have no idea the depth of my knowledge on this, yet when I share it, you belittle me.
Most of the posts on the topic do agree with me, if you count them.
Furthermore, the City has seen fit to allow the work to be done. There are no stop work orders on the site. Why is that?
You’ve got the information. There’s no risk to your family. I too have a family, and I’d be the first to complain about a risk.
Gowanus, if you email me the pic I’ll be glad to host it.
Denton, you often seem to come off as some paragon of information and knowledge, our own little wizened martyr, who must educate,(insert sigh, eye roll) the dopey, patronize-worthy, knee-jerk reactive cows around you.
Its offensive and unnecessary. And not everyone agrees with you anyway.
I don’t know much about asbestos removal, but would absolutely want to be privy to the kind of information we’ve seen in this thread, and be able to react in a way I deemed appropriate for the safety of myself and my children. If that means staying inside, then that’s what I’d do. If it meant taking the kids elsewhere during removal, that’s what I’d do. If it meant I needed to do nothing, that’s what I’d do.
The important thing here is that I’d want the information.
Self-entitled? Give me a break. Entitled to important information about my family’s well-being, or even the knowledge that I need not be concerned about it? YES.
Posted the pic but is doesn’t seem to be up yet. Don’t know if Mr. B needs to approve pics and thats slowing it down. I will try again later and keep y’all posted but rest assured it helps put the scope of this project in perspective.
I have uploaded a picture of the roof of 455 smith for those who care to check it out.
Please notice the cross hatched marks visible on the roof. Those are saw marks left from the removal of the asbestos containing material.
Saws make sawdust… Asbestos sawdust… Small particles… Exactly the concern when dealing with asbestos.
Now I don’t suppose that anyone is going to die tomorrow because of this abatement but I do know this isn’t the same thing as removing a little asbestos from a a residential basement.
I think that the community should be made aware before a project of this size and in this type of location starts.
Why, because Nokilissa,and other parents are understandably concerned? Like normal parents? But instead of educating them or trying to put them at ease by giving them the facts of asbestos removal, the city (and obviously you) would rather keep them in ignorance? Not very smart. I don’t supposed it ever occured to you that those people you claim are going to whine and cry, might not if they understood the process better?
The technical aspects of asbestos removal wasn’t the point I was making,although it is quite obvious my statement, “Not for a minute do I think it was an oversight- this was a deliberate attempt to hide what they were doing until it was over and done with.” you certainly agree with, based on your post @5:54. And FYI, since exposure to asbestos and other toxins is a possible medical concern for me personally, I have read up on it and I do know that a short exposure does not mean raging cancer, and that removal can be done safely. My comments were strictly about public policy and I stand by what I said.
Maybe next time you could take a little more time to read and understand what someone is actually saying before you decide to use insult instead of dialogue.I’m really disappointed -I expected better from you.
Biff, Unfortunately I’m with petebklyn on this. After all, look at this thread!
denton, on the other hand, perhaps better communication would promote better understanding. If the risks are as minimal as you say, it should be quite easy to ease concerns and quell any protests with cold hard facts and reason. And perhaps that would lessen “the hysterical kneejerk self-entitled” Petebklyn’s concerned about, if indeed such reactions are unwarranted.