The City of San Juan, Texas has submitted a federal grant application for assistance in cleaning up the site where San Juan Hospital used to be located. City officials were unaware that the building posed an environmental threat when they purchased it in October 2001. “During an initial assessment (of the building), it was found that it had a bit of asbestos content, as well as lead-(based) paint in there,” said City Manager J.J. Rodriguez.
Asbestos is a carcinogenic mineral used widely in construction during the 19th and 20th centuries. Asbestos can cause can cause serious diseases of the lungs and other organs that often lead to death, including pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma, rare cancers of the protective covering around the lungs and abdomen respectively.
The building site, located at 512 S. Nebraska Ave., is in the city’s downtown area and is being cleaned up as part of the downtown revitalization project. The Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle - National Shrine sees about 22,000 pilgrims per week and is located downtown. The city wants to make the surrounding area equally as interesting so that it won’t miss out on tourist dollars.
Whether the city decides to demolish or renovate the hospital is still up in the air, but asbestos abatement must take place before anything can be done. Asbestos is most dangerous when it is manipulated, as cracking and crumbling cause it to release toxic fibers that are easily inhaled, putting workers and the community at a great risk of contracting lung cancer and mesothelioma.
The city’s grant application requests will fund up to 80 percent of the total cleanup cost, which is estimated at $250,000.
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