EPA Issues Order to Schuyler Heights Fire Department; Reminds Others to Comply With Clean Air Rules.Business Editors/Government/Environment Writers NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 21, 2000 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), independent agency of the U.S. government, with headquarters in Washington, D.C. It was established in 1970 to reduce and control air and water pollution, noise pollution, and radiation and to ensure the safe handling and (EPA EPA eicosapentaenoic acid. EPA abbr. eicosapentaenoic acid EPA, n.pr See acid, eicosapentaenoic. EPA, n. ) has found the Schuyler Heights Fire Department in violation of asbestos regulations in the Clean Air Act and ordered the fire department to comply with the rules in the future. In November 1998, the volunteer fire department, located in Watervliet, New York Watervliet is a city in Albany County, New York, United States. The population was 10,207 as of the 2000 census. The City of Watervliet is north of Albany, New York and is at the east border of the Town of Colonie. The city is also known as "the Arsenal City. , burned a building located at a former rail yard as part of its training exercises. The building had roofing material that contained asbestos. Under the federal Clean Air Act, materials that contain asbestos must be removed prior to intentional burning. "I have the utmost respect for the men and women who serve in our volunteer fire departments, but we must ensure that they do not conduct training exercises that could put the very community that they protect in unnecessary risk," said Jeanne M. Fox, EPA Regional Administrator. "I want to remind all fire departments that they must comply with asbestos regulations, which include notifying EPA of their plans to intentionally burn, and removing any material that contains asbestos prior to the burning. Ignorance of these requirements is not an acceptable defense." Before any building is intentionally burned, all asbestos-containing material must be removed. Whether or not the building contains asbestos, EPA must be notified before it is demolished, unless it is a residential building with less than four residences. Schuyler Heights Fire Department did not remove asbestos roofing material before it burned the rail yard building and did not notify EPA. During the fire, the wind scattered some of the burned asbestos-containing material from the building into the community. Tests conducted a few days later by the New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of State Department of Health confirmed that some of this material did contain asbestos. As a result, the owner of the burned building paid for a contractor to remove the asbestos containing ash from various locations throughout the community, so it is not believed that there is any long-term health concern. Asbestos can cause respiratory ailments such as asbestosis asbestosis Lung disease caused by long-term inhalation of asbestos fibres. A pneumoconiosis found primarily in asbestos workers, asbestosis is also seen in people living near asbestos industries. , a degenerative lung disease lung disease Pulmonary disease Pulmonology Any condition causing or indicating impaired lung function Types of LD Obstructive lung disease–↓ in air flow caused by a narrowing or blockage of airways–eg, asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis; and mesothelioma Mesothelioma Definition Mesothelioma is an uncommon disease that causes malignant cancer cells to form within the lining of the chest, abdomen, or around the heart. Its primary cause is believed to be exposure to asbestos. , a very rare cancer of the lining of the lungs. "We just want this and every fire department to be very careful in the future. Asbestos can be dangerous, and it must be treated as such," Fox added. |
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