The Lamar County Courthouse located in Purvis, Mississippi will undergo asbestos abatement starting in the summer of 2009. According to County Administrator Chuck Bennett workers will be relocated from the 104 year old building to alternative buildings to conduct their services while the abatement project is in progress.

The courthouse was constructed during a time in which asbestos was commonly used in a number of building supplies. It was not until the 1970’s that it was realized how dangerous the toxic substance is if exposed to. Upon the formation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration the government began to regulate the use of the harmful toxin.

Evacuation of the building is necessary in order to ensure that no workers are exposed to asbestos-containing materials.

Exposure to such materials has been known to result in a number of asbestos-related diseases which include but are not limited to asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer. Because these diseases typically have a significantly long latency period treatment options for those diagnosed are often very limited by the time the discovery is made. In many cases the disease is already in its advanced stages by the time it is found and mesothelioma treatment options are merely a temporary means of controlling pain and symptoms.

Bennett has stated that the renovation of the building will cost approximately $4 million and that some of that money may come from federal resources. The complete project is expected to take up to four years to finish.

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