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Posted on: September 15, 2015 by Huntersure
A residential development under construction in Princeton has been halted due to the discovery of hazardous chemicals in the building materials. In circumstances such as these, Testing and Inspection Service Liability can be reduced with the proper coverage and proper care of the contaminated materials.
The construction has been paused at the AvalonBay site on Witherspoon Street when crushed concrete and other materials onsite were detected for traces of hazardous chemicals, according to Central Jersey. The materials tested positive for polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). While the secondary test results are expected to come back in two weeks, the city is working to mitigate the issue.
“In the interim, AvalonBay has fully covered all stockpiled materials and has been wetting the site down daily,” the official statement of the town declared. If the tests display health concerns, a public health advisory will need to be issued to warn against the environmental implications.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) explained that “PCBs were domestically manufactured from 1929 until their manufacture was banned in 1979. Due to their non-flammability, chemical stability, high boiling point, and electrical insulating properties, PCBs were used in hundreds of industrial and commercial applications including electrical, heat transfer, and hydraulic equipment; as plasticizers in paints, plastics, and rubber products; in pigments, dyes, and carbonless copy paper; and many other industrial applications.”
However, PAHs can be found in natural environments and can also be man-made when the burning process of coal, gas, and oil is not completed properly. Airborne exposure to these harsh chemicals leads to tumors in lab animals, according to the EPA. Therefore, the management of these contaminated materials needs to be expedited quickly and safely to reduce possible human effects.
Mayor Liz Lempert stated “Our staff is monitoring the situation, and right now we’re waiting for the results to come back. I think the thing that you want to do is you assume the worst and you act accordingly. So the best thing to do at this point, if there is truly contamination in those piles, is to keep them wetted down, to keep them covered. This is clearly a situation where we want them to be forthcoming with us and tell us what the results are as soon as they have them.”
At Huntersure, we strive to provide sufficient coverage for testing and inspecting businesses. We understand the scope of perils the industry faces, and seek to protect each risk exposure. For more information, contact us today at (855) 585-6255.
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