State Report Finds Massive Asbestos Peril

SACRAMENTO —  A state task force on the dangers of asbestos in public buildings has concluded that the cancer-causing material poses significant problems in most government facilities in California and that the cost of reducing exposure to workers and the public may run as high as $660 million, according to a report obtained by The Times.

The alarming findings are based on inspections of 250 government buildings scattered around the state, including hospitals, police and fire stations, airports, libraries and courthouses.

Inspectors found asbestos-containing material in more than 80% of the city and county buildings they sampled. In 60% of the structures, the asbestos was in a form that could crumble easily, sending its lung-damaging fibers into the air.

In 42% of the buildings, the potential health risk was severe enough that the task force recommended that the asbestos be removed or treated within a year--and in some cases within six months. The task force also found less frequent, but still significant problems in privately-owned offices leased by the state.

Government agencies have been notified about the asbestos problems in each of the buildings included in the sample, according to the report. And some have taken emergency steps to prevent asbestos exposure.

In Orange County, officials said 11 buildings examined in the state survey were found to contain asbestos in ceiling or floor tile and in some insulation material. None of the Orange County government buildings, however, were found to have severe problems requiring immediate action, said Charles Niederman of the county’s General Services Agency.

Niederman said employees in the 11 county buildings--including John Wayne Airport’s main terminal--were notified of the asbestos, as required by state law. But he said county officials do not believe the material is a hazard and the government does not plan to remove the asbestos unless it would be involved in a future renovation or construction project.

“None of these were considered hazardous,” he said. “(In cases where) we suspected anything, we did an air test and none of the air tests were positive.”

The purpose of the state’s study--ordered by the Legislature in 1986--was to estimate the extent of the asbestos problem in some 40,000 government buildings and offices throughout the state and to determine the best way to go about the slow, expensive process of removing or repairing the material.

As a result of its findings, the task force “urges all cities and counties to begin an inspection program as soon as possible.”

Assemblyman Burt Margolin (D-Los Angeles), the author of the 1986 legislation, is angry that the administration of Gov. George Deukmejian has taken so long to complete the study, which is almost two years overdue and still has not been officially released. The study was conducted by a private consultant under contract to the State Department of Health Services.

“I’m outraged at the delay in this report and angered by the Administration’s resistance to letting this information be made public and allow a cleanup to proceed in a rational fashion,” Margolin said Monday.

The task force report makes sweeping recommendations for rating the health risk posed by asbestos in different situations and advises government officials on how to identify problems that require emergency removal.

Margolin said that he was surprised by the extent of the problem identified in the study. “I’m even more surprised by the state’s slowness to act.”

The completed asbestos report is still awaiting approval by the governor’s office before it can be officially released, said Tom Beermann, Deukmejian’s deputy press secretary, who said he could not comment on the delay in completing the study. The governor’s office only received the lengthy report on Friday, he said.

Earlier this year, the Environmental Protection Agency ordered a near total ban on the the manufacture or import of asbestos-containing products by 1996. Among the items affected by the ban are automobile brakes, concrete pipes and roofing material.

Asbestos is one of a relatively small number of substances proved to cause cancer not just in animals but in humans. It can also cause chronic, debilitating lung disease among those exposed to the microscopic fibers.

Even an outright ban would not eliminate asbestos exposure because so much of the material has been used over the years for a variety of purposes.

Because of its resistance to heat and fire, asbestos was used in materials for wrapping pipes and boilers and in ceiling and floor tiles. Removing material from buildings can itself be a source of asbestos exposure if the cleanup is not done carefully.

The state task force found the most frequent asbestos problems in buildings constructed before 1976.

The group’s report estimates that it will cost $31 million to conduct a complete building-by-building survey of city, county and state-leased facilities. Surveys of state-owned facilities--including state office buildings and university campuses--have already been conducted.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS WHERE ASBESTOS FOUND

Of 207 buildings randomly checked for asbestos statewide, these 12 in Orange County were found to contain the cancer-causing material but not to any unsafe degree, officials said. Eleven of the buildings are the county’s, and one is a municipal building in Orange.

John Wayne Airport, Costa Mesa: Asbestos found in spray ceiling in main terminal and insulation around the boiler.

Taft Branch Library, 740 E. Taft Ave., Orange: Asbestos found in floor and ceiling tile.

Civic Center Garage, Santa Ana: Asbestos found in floor and ceiling.

Forensic Science Laboratory, 601 N. Ross, Santa Ana: Asbestos found in floor and ceiling tiles; pipes insulation.

Health Care Agency office, 1725 W. 17th St., Santa Ana: Asbestos found in floor and ceiling tiles; pipe insulation.

General Services Agency office, 628 N. Sycamore, Santa Ana: Asbestos found in floor and ceiling tile.

Social Services Agency Community Health Center, 220 W. Walnut, Santa Ana: Asbestos found in floor and ceiling tile; some pipe insulation.

Fire Station 1, 180 S. Water St, Santa Ana: Asbestos found in wall covering; pipe insulation and duct insulation.

Fire Station 5, Midway City: Asbestos found in floor and ceiling tile; pipe insulation.

Fire Station 58, 10631 Skyline Dr., Santa Ana: Asbestos found in floor tile and ceiling.

Health Care Agency office, 801 N. Broadway: Asbestos found in mechanical equipment insulation.

Irvine Regional Park, 21501 E. Chapman, Orange: Asbestos found in air-conditioning duct insulation; floor cover and roof materials of a former residence at the park.

Source: Orange County General Services Agency