Frankfort – Work involving Asbestos handling has started on the former Union Fork & Hoe site. The demolition has been scheduled for July last. Citizen Participation Specialist Stephen Litwhiler said asbestos removal would take another two weeks to be completed. The demolition can be started only after that. “Once the structures are demolished and removed, there is going to be a complete investigation into the degree of contamination and how to cleanup the site,” Litwhiler said. Litwhiler says another DEC (Department of Environment and Conservation) fact sheet will be issued after the beginning of remedial investigations. Data given by the Department of Environment and Conservation on the first stage Remediation Measure states apart from the asbestos removal and air monitoring for asbestos, all substances other than wood, block, brick, concrete and steel will be removed from the buildings. Tainted waste will be disposed of, and certain uncontaminated substances, like st eel, block, concrete and brick will be saved and recycled. The site has been categorized as class two in the state registry for inactive waste sites, which indicates threat to the environment or health of the public and that immediate action is necessary. Asbestos removal activities will be carried out by Ames True Temper. There will be supervision given by the Department of Environment and Conservation. The task is being carried out through State Superfund Program, which makes out and typifies suspected inactive dangerous debris disposal sites. As per the DEC fact sheet, there are a number of abandoned industrial buildings on the site. These buildings were a part of the former hand tool maker. Most parts of the site is enclosed by former parking portions and grass fields with a bit more heavily vegetated portions along the boundaries of the site. A well that supplied public water was affected by the site. It is situated near to the site’s northeast. A treatment system had bee n placed on the well in year 1991. A number of environmental investigations were carried out at the site in last twenty five years. In the past, high levels of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, metals, and Polychlorinated Biphenyls have been documented in the site soils. In addition, the DEC fact sheet says quite a few removal proceedings have been carried out at the site for addressing impacts to the soils over last fifteen years. The site is inactive at present. It has been zoned for industrial as well as commercial use. The nearby area has residential, commercial and industrial uses.
