Starting today the Polk County Courthouse in Des Moines, Iowa will begin to be rid of asbestos-containing materials. The estimated cost of the asbestos removal in the 102 year old building is expected to be around $200,000.

Many older buildings contain asbestos as the substance was often used in a number of building materials during the early twentieth century. It wasn’t until the 1970’s when the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was formed that use of the dangerous substance began to become regulated by the government.

Today asbestos workers must wear protective gear in order to avoid exposure. The company conducting the asbestos removal work is Pro Environmental Abatement Inc.

Asbestos exposure may result in the development of a number of related diseases which include lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma. Asbestos-caused diseases typically have a long latency period which means that treatment options for the diagnosed are very limited. In most cases such diseases have already reached advanced stages of development by the time the discovery is made.

The asbestos removal company will be conducting the work during the evening hours and sealing off the rooms where the work is taking place during the day. Officials have pointed out that at this time there is no safety risk to those individuals entering the building but that the asbestos removal will prevent future safety issues.

The project is expected to take approximately five to six months.

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