Toxic White House?

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How we care for our homes reflects who we are. The bulldozing of the East Wing may have done more than erase history—it may have endangered workers, neighbors, and the city itself.  

Old federal buildings almost certainly contained asbestos. Demolition without transparent abatement and monitoring risks turning the site into a future Superfund case. Asbestos fibers don’t stay put; they drift on the wind. Workers without respirators and nearby residents could face asbestosis and related diseases years from now.  

Officials claim an “extensive abatement and remediation assessment” was followed, yet no public records of surveys, sampling, or air monitoring have been released. Federal law requires these steps. Until documentation is disclosed, the public cannot know whether safety measures were adequate.  

Where are the abatement plans and permits? Where are the waste manifests, contractor credentials, and oversight reports?  

In more than forty‑five years as a hazardous waste expert, I’ve seen haste create toxic waste. A 122‑year‑old building, renovated in the 1940s—the height of asbestos use—demands scrutiny.  

One fact is certain: once disturbed, asbestos becomes airborne, and exposure can be life‑altering.  

Without transparency, the demolition of the People’s House risks becoming not just a loss of heritage, but the possibilty of another Superfund site.  



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