Carbondale Bytelife

SPRINGFIELD--- Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director Doug Scott has asked the Illinois Attorney General to take the necessary legal actions to prevent GELCO Management & Developers, LLC, headquartered in Vienna, from performing any further demolition activities at the former Lincoln School in Benton, and to require that GELCO take actions designed to protect the public and workers from exposure to asbestos contamination.

During a June 2007 inspection, the former school was found to contain regulated asbestos-containing material (RACM). The Illinois EPA found that GELCO improperly proceeded with demolition activities disturbing a significant amount of RACM. The Agency also observed that GELCO conducted the demolition without proper inspection, and without taking necessary precautions when handling and removing RACM materials. Illinois EPA was not notified prior to the demolition, as required, nor were the proper emission control procedures followed.

In the referral, the Illinois EPA recommends that, before resuming demolition activities, GELCO retain a licensed asbestos abatement project designer to design and submit a plan to remove all asbestos-containing materials and remediate all asbestos contamination. Once the Illinois EPA has accepted a program, a licensed asbestos abatement contractor will be hired to implement the program.

The Illinois EPA will continue to provide the Attorney General with technical and legal support as needed.