Frozen pipes lead to Asbestos Exposure at public housing unit

Frozen Pipes Lead to Asbestos Exposure at Public Housing Unit in Sydney

SYDNEY - Donalda Saulnier resides in an apartment at the Tulip Terrace public housing complex, and on January 16, 2009, Ms. Saulnier noted that unusually cold weather had resulted in frozen water pipes in her unit. Ms. Saulnier immediately placed a call to the Cape Breton Island Housing Authority (CBIHA) to inform them of the problem. Shortly thereafter, a contractor arrived at Ms. Saulnier's apartment, and to expose the affected plumbing, the contractor cut several large holes in the wall inside the dwelling. While the contractor's actions wouldn't present a serious problem in most structures, in the Tulip Terrace complex, many of the interior wall cavities contain small deposits of attic insulation that is contaminated with vermiculite form actinolite asbestos, a known carcinogen.

Coincidentally enough, on the same day, Ms. Saulnier had received a form letter the CBIHA had sent to all residents at the public housing complex; the purpose of the letter was to inform all tenants of the presence of asbestos contaminated insulation in many of the units at Tulip Terrace. The housing authority communication, in part, stated, "Do not penetrate your walls and ceiling." Ms. Saulnier read the letter and then looked at the large holes in her wall-she had no idea what she should do. It would be three days before the holes in the wall could be repaired, so the mother of two young girls sent her children to stay with a relative over the weekend.

Now largely banned in countries around the world, asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was once widely used by numerous industries, including the construction industry. Asbestos is commonly found in older structures in floor and ceiling tiles, roofing, siding, and among other things, pipe and wall cavity insulation. When the material is disturbed, microscopic asbestos fibers can become airborne where they are inhaled into the lungs.

Once in the lungs, asbestos fibers can remain undetected and dormant for between 20-50 years before finally leading to respiratory diseases such as asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma, the latter being a particularly aggressive, incurable, and inevitably fatal form of cancer. No safe level of exposure to asbestos has ever been established, and all contact with the material is to be avoided.

Asbestos containing insulation at the Tulip Terrace complex was first documented in a report to the housing authority in October 2005. No remedial action was taken, and in a subsequent consultant's report issued in 2006, it was recommended that the hazardous material be left in place. The report contained a recommendation to monitor the insulation, and attics and ductwork in the units were sealed to prevent asbestos from contaminating living areas.

As a result of the incident at Ms. Saulnier's apartment, in light of the fact that provisions of an asbestos management plan for the complex had been ignored, the Department of Community Services (DCC) and three of its employees are all facing charges of violating provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. All three employees entered pleas of not guilty, and their trial dates have been scheduled-the DCC is scheduled to enter a plea to the charges on Feb. 27.

"When there is work done there. . .containment should be set up," said Housing Authority Director, Joan McKeough. McKeough's statement refers to the Tulip Terrace asbestos management plan, and while some individuals believe that such a plan is sufficient to protect the health of all tenants at the complex, many environmental and other experts believe the extremely hazardous asbestos contaminated insulation should be eradicated from the housing complex once and for all.

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