Future Environment Designs Training Center's Blog

Monday, November 15, 2010

Importance of Respiratory Protection at Demolition or Disaster Sites

The Newsday story "Ground Zero settlement tally delayed as deadline hits" had the above image as part of the story. Based on this image we see workers at the sight wearing two different types of respirators and one worker wearing only a neckerchief (or something similar). The predominant respirator worn in this picture is the filtering facepiece respirator. This respirator is primarily meant to handle nuisance dusts and is not intended in handling hazardous materials or chemical vapors. It has two straps and most have a metal nose clip that is meant to achieve a better seal around the nose. It seems most are wearing these correctly except the individual in the background which appears to have only one strap on. For this individual, the respirator is probably not providing the intended protection. Three individuals have the half-mask air purifying respirators two are wearing them properly while the third is wearing it as jewelry. The cartridges being worn are high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters. The HEPA filter is the highest level filter you can get for particulates and will filter out asbestos, lead, and other hazardous dusts. However, this filter will not filter chemical vapors. Based on the contaminants previously published from 9/11, the standard respirator should have been a half-mask air purifying respirator with organic vapor, acid gas, and P100 (HEPA) filters. So all the respirators in the picture were the wrong type to protect them, based on published reports of the contaminants at the 9/11 work sight. Hopefully, the regulatory and disaster community learned the lessons of 9/11 and in the future we can ensure workers at the sight wear the proper respirator and wear it properly. Maybe then in the future we will not have to pay these claims on people who got sick for not wearing a respirator or wearing the wrong type.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

5 Easy Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality - My Money (usnews.com)

Image by kqedquest via FlickrThe garage as far as we are concerned is one of the most dangerous areas of the home. Between the car, tool, and chemical storage it can have various items that by themselves would have significant impacts on indoor air quality. Individually, cars can impact air quality with the carbon monoxide they produce that can infiltrate the home, tools, depending on what powers them, can also have the same effect as a car or can generate contaminants like sawdust, silica, asbestos or other hazardous vapors, and chemical storage by itself can generate volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other hazardous vapors and mists. The above article points out various ways you can improve your air quality and the ideas are excellent.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Kings Park Psychiatric Center Cleanup Estimated At $215 Million

Image via WikipediaThe verdict is in on the Kings Park Psychiatric Center environmental cleanup. The cleanup is estimated to cost $215 million. Compared to original estimates from developers ten years ago of $60 million, that is nearly 4 times the original estimates. Though we don't think the original estimates were accurate at all. The current estimate, developed by Dvirka and Bartilucci an environmental engineering firm based in Woodbury, NY, and TRC Environmental, an environmental consultanting firm based in NYC, is probably closest to the mark because Dvirka and Bartilucci and TRC spent several months on the property performing a number of inspections and surveys to get as accurate a picture of the materials and the costs involved with this project.
The $215 million price is for demolishing all 57 abandoned buildings on the property and returning the 368 acres to open space, said a statement from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, which commissioned the study by Dvirka & Bartilucci. The bulk of the cost, about $186 million, pays for tearing down the buildings and cleaning up asbestos and other hazardous materials. Other costs include $26 million to demolish and remediate five miles of underground steam tunnels and $3.7 million to excavate materials dumped on the property over the years. State Sen. John Flanagan (R-East Northport) had secured $29 million for park cleanup and agreed to spend $3.6 million for the environmental study. He said the actual cost will be determined when the projects are put out for bid.
In February 2009, after community groups clamored for some resolution of the property, then State Parks Commissioner Carol Ash ordered the demolition of 15 buildings deemed unsafe, which will cost $14 million. Requests for bids for that project will go out soon. Once that happens and those bids come in we will get a better idea what it will actually cost.

Tuesday, November 09, 2010

Gov. Paterson Proposes Eliminating New York Participation in Federal Superfund Program

Workers in hazmat suits check the status of a ...

Image via WikipediaIt seems to us that our lame duck Governor is doing all the nasty and dirty work before the incoming Governor has to. Between laying off state workers, firing the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC), and now eliminating New York State's participation in Superfund, its to bad we can't get a tax cap in place, too. It concerns us how NYS DEC will be able to handle all the work that is scheduled for NYS. Between the Hudson River Dredging project, the Gowanus Canal and Newtown Creek just to mention a few. We need to make sure that Governor Patterson's obvious attack on the NYS DEC does not hamper or significantly hinder its ability to perform its functions in New York State.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Floorings Affect on Indoor Air Quality

Mold growing on wood tacking under carpeting.

When Future Environment Designs performs an indoor air quality assessment we typically look at what's on the floor to see if that is hindering or contributing to the air quality problems. Carpeting is a problem because the average person cannot clean it properly and if it gets wet you have to make sure you dry it completely to ensure mold (fungi) won't grow on it or in it. We have seen mold grow even on the wood used for the tacking down the carpet as seen in the photo. My preference is non-porous materials on the floor. Researchers are now concerned about certain non-porous floors containing vinyl. As the above linked article at Rodale.com "Caution: Floor May Be Toxic" discusses vinyl (PVC) and why it should be avoided. The article says that researchers found that "PVC building materials, namely, vinyl flooring and coated wallpaper, were seven times more likely to contain hazardous additives when compared to nonplastic flooring options." Vinyl flooring was also found to contain asbestos, cadmium, lead, and flame retardants. "These substances are linked to asthma, fertility problems, learning disability, hormone-related diseases, and cancer." It seems we will have to change our typical recommendation of vinyl floor tiles to linoleum, cork, bamboo and/or hardwood floors. These floors are also approved for points under the Leadership Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) system. The next time you are having problems with your flooring or considering remodeling look at linoleum, cork, bamboo and hardwood as better alternatives to vinyl floors or carpeting.

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