Asbestos Found In Northbrook Commercial Building
Site Sealed By Illinois EPA
Updates
The Illinois EPA will update this web site as new information is available,
in an effort to provide tenants, their employees and other building users with
the most current news about the building.
- May 16, 2001
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- On May 16, 2001, Director Tom Skinner of the Illinois EPA authorized the
removal of the Seal Order placed on the building on March 14, 2001. The removal
of the seal order allows re-occupancy of the building and access by the public.
This action follows completion of the remediation of the building and its
contents in accordance with the plans accepted by the Illinois EPA.
- May 15, 2001
- Cleaning and clearance sampling have been completed in the 1500 Skokie Boulevard,
Northbrook, building. As soon as all sampling results have been received,
they will be reviewed and verified by the Illinois EPA and the seal order
will be lifted by the Director. At that time, tenants will be able to return
and the public will be able to gain access.
- April 19, 2001
- The Illinois EPA has prepared a second question and answer fact sheet for
tenants and other users of the building. This fact sheet also contains links
to other pertinent information.
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- April 9, 2001
- The building owner has retained a new consultant to address decontamination
and abatement of the facility. The consultant estimates that it will take
approximately three weeks from April 6, 2001, to render the building habitable.
During the first phase of the project, newly hired asbestos abatement contractors
will retrieve and decontaminate a limited number of tenant items necessary
to conduct business. The consultants hope to begin this phase of the project
as early as Tuesday, April 10, 2001. If tenants are interested in retrieving
items from the facility and have not yet been in contact with the Illinois
EPA, they should call the Division of Legal Counsel at (217) 782-5544 and
ask for Chris Pressnall or Julie Armitage as soon as possible.
- March 29, 2001
- Clearance sampling results have been received for all floors and indicate
further cleaning is necessary. The Illinois EPA and Attorney General are continuing
discussions with the building owner and contractors to determine methods necessary
to achieve clearance levels acceptable for occupancy.
The priority of the Illinois EPA is to find a course of action that will allow
tenants to gain access to any personal property remaining in the building
as quickly as possible.
Please note that the 3rd floor is being sealed off from the rest of the building
and will be handled separately, since it is still under renovation.
- March 23, 2001
- Cleaning on the fifth floor has been completed. Cleaning on the fourth floor
is underway. The second floor has been prepared for cleaning, which will commence
once the fourth floor cleaning is completed. Work continues according to the
plans required and approved by the Illinois EPA. Upon completion of all cleaning
activities, air sampling will be performed to ensure that asbestos contamination
has been remediated.
- March 22, 2001
- The Illinois EPA has prepared a question and answer fact sheet for tenants
and other users of the building. This fact sheet also contains links to other
pertinent information.
- March 18, 2001
- The Illinois EPA approved the plan for remediation. The contractor also
initiated remedial activities on March 19, 2001. Although the time for completing
the remedial activities is still unknown, the Illinois EPA is working with
the contractor to ensure that the work is completed as expeditiously as possible.
The Seal Order must remain until the building is determined to be safe for
human health and the environment.
Background
During a March 14, 2001 investigation undertaken as a result of a citizen
complaint, Illinois EPA inspectors observed substantial quantities of suspect
debris in the commercial building located at 1500 Skokie, Northbrook. Initial
sampling confirmed that the debris was asbestos containing materials (ACM) and
asbestos contamination.
During the investigation, ACM and asbestos contamination were found on the
third floor as well as in the elevator and in the stairwell. The inspector further
observed that the materials were not kept wet, as is required by law. In addition,
the inspector observed no containment and no primary barriers to keep asbestos
fibers from leaving the third floor.
A review of Illinois EPA records indicated that the Illinois EPA received the
required notification for the proposed project. The notification indicated that
200 square feet of spray-on ACM on beams on the third floor of the building
was to be removed prior to disturbance. The notification further indicated the
regulated area would be kept wet and licensed workers would remove the ACM.
The notification was signed by the contractor and dated February 22, 2001.
Based on his observations on March 14, the Illinois EPA inspector requested
that renovation activities cease. Analytical results of sampling confirmed that
the materials of concern were asbestos containing. Since there was an apparent
threat to human health and the environment, the Director of the Illinois EPA
sealed the Building preventing public access.
The Illinois EPA then requested that the owner promptly retain a licensed asbestos
abatement project designer to design and submit a plan to determine the scope
of asbestos contamination and the methods and procedures to be utilized to remediate
asbestos contamination and ACM.
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