Community Relations - Fact Sheets

Former Thebes School

Fact Sheet #1
September 2005

Thebes, Illinois

Introduction

Based on the human health threat from exposure posed by the dilapidated, asbestos-containing school located at 7th and Oak Street in Thebes, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) will demolish the building and cleanup the site using both Federal and State funding. Due to the condition of this former school, it is highly likely that asbestos fibers are being released to the environment and coming in contact with trespassers. Health concerns for human exposure warrants corrective action at this location.

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Site History and Background

This once functional and prospering K-12 community school, has become not only an eyesore, but also a threat to the community it once served. The grade school was built in 1916 and remodeled in 1953. The high school was built in 1953. The single story gymnasium was built in 1921. After closing in 1964, the building was used by several private businesses including a plastic pallet manufacturing operation and a tire recapping business. Since its closure, the schools have been consolidated, and students are bussed out of Thebes to attend classes.

The imminent threat from the former Thebes School is the potential for asbestos exposure and the physical hazards to trespassers and nearby residents. Collapsed floors, roofs and walls make it impossible to secure or abate this building; therefore demolition is the only option for eliminating the threat.

The Threat from Asbestos

Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring minerals that contain indestructible fibers that can occur in several forms. Because of its remarkable fire resistant properties and excellent insulating capabilities, it has been used in thousands of common building materials.

Any level of exposure to asbestos involves some health risk, although the exact degree of risk is difficult to estimate. The relationship between exposure level and health risk is complex. When the fibers enter the air, individuals may be exposed and inhale the fibers. Those fibers retained by the lungs will remain indefinitely. Exposure to high levels of airborne asbestos is associated with a debilitating lung disease called asbestosis; a rare cancer of the chest and abdominal lining called mesothelioma; and cancers of the lung, esophagus, stomach, colon, and other organs.

Children and young adults who are exposed to asbestos have a greater chance than older adults of developing certain asbestos-related diseases due to a longer remaining lifespan during which disease may develop. Children and young adults are most often those involved in the trespassing and vandalism at the former school, and therefore are at greater risk for exposure.

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Corrective Action: Using Federal and State Funding

• The Illinois EPA has confirmed the presence of various asbestos-containing materials within the building through laboratory analysis.
• The corrective actions to be completed by REACT Environmental Engineers and Midwest Asbestos Abatement Corporation involve:
  • abatement of asbestos-containing material, where safe;
  • wet demolition which requires wetting of the building material throughout the demolition activity;
  • sealing of asbestos-containing materials in leak tight containers; and
  • air monitoring (which counts fibers suspended in the air) during the demolition.
• All asbestos material will be disposed of at an asbestos permitted landfill. At the landfill, the material is buried and covered immediately with six inches of compacted soil to prevent further disruption of the material.
• All work will be done in accordance to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, a Federal regulation under the Clean Air Act, Occupational Safety and Health Association Standards, Illinois EPA regulations and applicable Illinois Department of Public Health Regulations for Commercial and Public Buildings.
• The Illinois EPA will also remove and properly dispose of an underground storage tank located adjacent to the building in the yard.  The cost to demolish and dispose of the building remains and remove the underground storage tank is estimated at $650,000.
• It is anticipated that work will begin September 2005 and be completed within approximately two months.

The City of Thebes is the current owner of the property. The work to be done by Illinois EPA will enable the community to benefit in the following ways:

• a physical and environmental threat is removed from the community;
• property values can increase; and
• the property can be utilized by the community for the residents of Thebes.

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