Plymouth County, MA Considers Cleanup of Asbestos-Contaminated Courthouse and Commissioner’s Building

In June 2009, the Plymouth County, MA Redevelopment Authority reported on the environmental assessment of the county courthouse and commissioner’s buildings scheduled for renovation. Both properties are contaminated with asbestos and lead.

The Authority’s executive director stated that while the two buildings are structurally sound, environmental testing revealed higher than anticipated levels of asbestos and lead. The remediation project will also include the removal of two underground storage tanks containing gasoline and oil.

Asbestos was found in caulking, tiles, and wrapped around heating elements in both buildings. In the early 1960s, an addition was added to the courthouse, where asbestos-containing plaster was used. Loose asbestos was also found in the dirt floor in the courthouse’s basement.

Exposure to asbestos is known to cause serious illnesses such as mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer or asbestosis.