Goldsboro stops demolition work over asbestos handling failures

The City of Goldsboro says it has halted demolition work at two residential properties after discovering the projects moved forward without following required legal procedures, including asbestos regulations designed to protect public health.

City officials said they recently learned residential demolitions had been initiated without complying with requirements in the city's code of ordinances and North Carolina law. The city said it immediately stopped all work, secured the affected sites and hired a qualified contractor to clean up, remediate and properly dispose of hazardous materials in accordance with state and federal regulations.

An internal review found what the city described as contracting and policy issues, as well as concerns about the demolition vendor's qualifications. Officials said those issues resulted in violations of environmental protocols related to asbestos.

According to the city, a partial demolition at 310 S. Herman St. was ordered and began despite the presence of known asbestos. Officials said the asbestos-containing material was disturbed and the site was left unfinished without the legally required environmental remediation.

At 709 N. Virginia St., demolition work began before the property underwent mandatory asbestos testing, the city said.

The city's investigation also found the contractor transported demolition debris containing asbestos-contaminated material to a local landfill.

City officials said they notified the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' Health Hazards Control Unit and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality after discovering the problems. The agencies were contacted to report the sites, seek guidance and begin regulatory coordination.

The city also hired an accredited asbestos professional to assess the properties and develop a plan for safely removing the hazardous materials.

Officials said they are working with state regulators and environmental professionals to secure and contain the sites in accordance with state environmental safety guidelines. Based on current assessments and containment measures, the city said there is no indication of an immediate risk to public health.

"The safety of our residents is the City's highest priority," officials said in a news release. "The City has a zero-tolerance policy regarding any deviation from these laws and will continue to work closely with state agencies to ensure these specific sites are safely resolved."