Philadelphia Residents Demand Asbestos Answers

No matter where you choose to live, there are always going to be plusses and minuses. The city of Philadelphia is easily one of the most beautiful, one of the most historic, and one of the most culture-rich places you can live in North America. It is also a city that has more than its fair share of asbestos problems. Asbestos was used to insulate almost every type of building prior to the 1980s, and the removal of that insulation can cause a serious health risk to the general public if not handled correctly.

If you feel that you have been exposed to asbestos and are now suffering from asbestos-related illnesses, contact a lawyer in Philadelphia today to learn more about the legal options available to you.

A Wealth of Asbestos Resources are Available in Philadelphia

Philadelphia is one of the most progressive municipalities in the nation when it comes to dealing with asbestos. They have an easy-to-find website at www.phila.gov/health/units/ams/Asbestos.html, which acts as a clearinghouse for all of the various links you could ever need when it comes to fighting back against asbestos exposure and ensuring your personal safety and the safety of your family. The site includes complete information for construction companies who are dealing with the renovation and removal of a building that contains asbestos.

Additional links also allow Philadelphia residents to contact a licensed asbestos inspector to see if demolition or asbestos removal is being done correctly. This is an invaluable resource for all eastern Pennsylvania residents who care about air quality and are worried that buildings are being disturbed without the proper asbestos precautions.

• If you may need legal help regarding Asbestos or Mesothelioma, Submit Your Case for a Free Review from an Asbestos Lawyer in Philadelphia.

Federal Stimulus Money May Help Prevent Asbestos in Philadelphia

While it is difficult to find rays of sunshine in the current economic downturn, a portion of the Obama administration’s federal stimulus plan is being spent on revitalizing blighted areas that have been rendered no-man’s lands due to the presence of asbestos and other chemicals. Oftentimes, the cost associated with the removal of old, asbestos-laced buildings is so high that construction companies and landlords simply let otherwise usable land sit vacant for decades at a time. According to a May 10 article published in the Philadelphia Inquirer, a whopping $25 million check has been written to townships in and around the Philadelphia area specifically for the removal of buildings that contain asbestos.

The article says, “The Roebling mill was put on the EPA’s National Priorities List — for sites with the worst contamination — in 1983, nearly a decade after the facility closed. Its 200 acres on the edge of the Delaware River were strewn with 70 asbestos-laden buildings, two sludge lagoons, an abandoned landfill and contaminated river and creek sediment, groundwater and wetlands. Dangers included exposed asbestos and heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, nickel, zinc, and copper.” While stimulus money alone cannot end the suffering for the people who were exposed to asbestos while working at this location, it is good to know that very soon fewer dangerous abandoned buildings that contain asbestos will remain threats to local residents.

If you think that you have been exposed to asbestos, you may want to consider speaking to a lawyer to examine your legal options and see if you are entitled to compensation.