Mesothelioma lawyer assistance for financial recovery

Under the rules extended by the Environmental Protection Agency, about 1,200 hurricane-damaged homes in south Mississippi will be torn down.

Officials at MDEQ (Mississippi's Department of Environmental Quality) said that about 4,200 residential structures will have been demolished when the extension ends. The No Action Assurance approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency runs until the Sept. 30 for houses in Hancock, Harrison, Jackson and Pearl River counties.

Air emissions of asbestos from building demolition and refurbishment for the state is managed by the MDEQ.
 
"We appreciate the efforts of the EPA in recognizing the continued need for this flexibility. This flexibility has substantially helped the progress of hurricane recovery efforts along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and its continuance is necessary to ensure the current pace toward recovery," said Trudy Fisher, MDEQ executive director.

As per looser regulations, the county and city governments are needless to inspect each structure they allow to be torn down for asbestos in case the structure appears to be unsound.

"We can also fill out one set of paperwork to demolish entire streets or subdivisions," said Maya Rao, the chief of DEQ's air division.

EPA has been monitoring the heaviest demolition phase on the Coast for months. Rao pointed out that no asbestos was being released into the air.

"Demolition contractors will still need to follow worker safety guidelines for handling asbestos and a supervisor certified to work with the material will need to be on the job site," said Bickham Forshee, DEQ's asbestos section supervisor. "Most houses are going to have some asbestos because it's in more materials than you would realize. We will be having a weekly presence on the Coast monitoring for it."

Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous silicate mineral that can pollute air or water and cause cancer or asbestosis when inhaled. Still, the resistance of asbestos to fire and it's strength have long been exploited for a variety of purposes. EPA has banned or severely restricted its use in manufacturing and construction.