Smoldering Younkers building is 'asbestos contaminated site,' inspector says

The smoldering ruins of the former Younkers building is considered to be an asbestos contaminated site and will require specialized removal, a state inspector said today.

And while proper cleanup is critical to public health, inspector Tom Wuehr of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources said it's unlikely that downtown workers or people viewing the site have been or will be exposed to harmful levels of the cancer-causing material.

"We can't say categorically that you didn't breathe an asbestos fiber or two," Wuehr said. "But in the Midwest, we all have asbestos fibers in our lungs. It's the matter of degree of exposure we have. We don't generally see health problems from people unless they've really had heavy exposure for a long period of time.

"Generally speaking you wouldn't expect health consequences from a one-time event. And it would appear to me that the levels of exposures here would be relatively light, if anyone was exposed."

Each of the floors of the former department store building were believed to have had asbestos felt between them, Wuehr said. In addition, pipes and other areas of the building had asbestos. Asbestos is an airborne fiber but the large amounts of water used by firefighters would have helped to have contained the material, Wuehr said.

Crews had been in the process of removing the asbestos and bags of the material had been taken out of the building and properly disposed of on Friday, Wuehr said.

The building also contained lead paint, a poison when inhaled or ingested in large amounts. Toxic fumes that include lead may be inhaled when the paint is burned or melted. In addition, lead may be inhaled when dust that contains lead becomes airborne.

Steve Weil, of the Lead and Environmental Hazards Association in Maryland, said the most dangerous periods would likely have been when the flames were at their peak and and debris was flying.

Weil recommended people be cognizant of the risk and stay away from the debris. The site is currently sectioned off from the general public and will remain so until the dangers are cleared, Wuehr noted.