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Highlands Today

DEP finds no violations in asbestos dumping

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Aiyana Baida

Published: November 30, 2009

SEBRING - The Department of Environmental Protection concluded that the asbestos pipes removed in the Sebring Parkway Project were within the legal limit.

The project involved about 6,700 feet of asbestos water pipes, of which 229.9 feet of asbestos pipes were removed— below the legal limit of 260 feet.

The DEP's report stated, "As of November 18, 2009 the Department has not discovered any violations of the aforementioned regulations."

The nearly two-month long investigation involved collection of approximately 85 samples of asbestos, including areas along the Sebring Parkway and from the Highlands County Landfill.

The samples collected were used to help investigators calculate the amount of asbestos removed. They also used ground penetrating radar and tracked the amount of material used to fill the abandoned asbestos water pipes.

"The results are just what we expected; there were no surprises," County Administrator Michael Wright said.

According to Wright, several locations where asbestos fragments were collected did not match with the scope of the Sebring Parkway Project. This involved samples of asbestos shingles from a home and asbestos fragments that appeared to have been placed on a path where work had been completed days before, he said.

The project involved pipes 8 inches and 12 inches in diameter.

According to Wright, the DEP investigation found samples of asbestos fragments that were from a piece of pipe that was at least 24 inches in diameter.

"It made no sense whatsoever," Wright said.

The department advised the county and the city of Sebring to notify them of any future projects that involve the removal of asbestos pipes and that they maintain records.

"I don't mind letting them know, we've been real open with them," Wright said.

Highlands Today reporter Aiyana Baida can be reached at (863)386-5855 or nbaida@highlandstoday.com

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