Asbestos in Moline, IL

Building Demolition Delayed After Discovery of Asbestos-Containing Materials

A building slated for demolition in Moline, ILwas the subject of an EPA inspection after the building owner discovered that asbestos was present in the building.  In this important case, the building owner properly recognized the potential health risks associated with exposure to the cancer-causing mineral. 

If you or a loved one was diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer, asbestos lung cancer or asbestosis caused by exposure to asbestos, please complete the form on this page to obtain important information about your legal options and rights. 

In October 2010, a television news station in Moline, Illinois reported on the discovery of asbestos at a building scheduled for demolition.

The building, which once served as a nurse’s dormitory, was being demolished before the property was released to the City of Molinefor future development.

Discovery of Asbestos
As part of the pre-demolition inspection, asbestos-containing materials (ACM) were found in several locations in the building, including the buidling's electrical panels.  Once the asbestos was discovered, the building owner and the project’s asbestos contractor contacted officials at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to confirm the locations where asbestos was found were the only areas of the building affected. 

The asbestos removal and remediation was expected to be completed within one day, and the building demolition was to proceed.

Asbestos Products Used in Residential Buildings
Virtually every residential, commercial or public building constructed prior to the 1970s was built using a number of asbestos-containing materials.  Asbestos was used to insulate heating, cooling and electrical systems and to provide insulation for hot water pipes in kitchens bathrooms, and hot water boilers.

In dormitory residences, schools and apartment complexes, asbestos-containing plaster was often used on walls, in hallways and stairwells.  In addition, asbestos was also used in mastic glues used in floor tiles and other floor coverings, in subflooring materials, roofing tiles and sheeting, and was sometimes used in metal exterior siding and synthetic shingles.

Asbestos Health Risks
During the renovation or demolition of these older buildings, extreme care must be taken to ensure that those working or living in the area where these projects take place can be at risk for exposure to toxic asbestos dusts if proper precautions are not taken.

Those that inhale microscopic asbestos fibers face a lifetime of risk to develop asbestosis, emphysema, chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) or more serious diseases including mesothelioma or asbestos lung cancer many decades after they are exposed to the dangerous mineral.

The time between exposure to asbestos and when symptoms of illness are first discovered (known as “asbestos latency periods”) can be 30-40 or more years long.  Because of this decades-long latency period, those who are exposed as young adults may not develop an asbestos disease until they are at retirement age or older.

How Weitz & Luxenberg Can Help
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, our asbestos attorneys may be able to help you to seek justice for your illness and file a lawsuit on your behalf.

Please complete the form on this page for a free and confidential review of your potential asbestos lawsuit or request a free copy of our asbestos sourcebook.  A Weitz & Luxenberg representative will contact you as soon as possible.