Asbestos Abatement in House Buildings Will Continue Through November
Updated: Aug. 27, 10:14 a.m.Workers have spent much of the summer removing asbestos from the Rayburn House Office Building and will continue to do so through the fall.Various rooms throughout the building plus at least one in the Longworth House Office Building are going through asbestos abatement, in which workers remove debris, test the air and dispose of any harmful substances.In a letter sent earlier this month to Members and staff, House Office Buildings Superintendent William Weidemeyer said the affected rooms will be opened to occupancy only once the Architect of the Capitol determines that the air is clear.“The employees conducting this operation have current [Environmental Protection Agency] certifications, qualified personal protective equipment, and accredited training,— he wrote. “The work will be supervised by an EPA Accredited Supervisor.—Weidemeyer also sent out letters on June 15 and July 10, each specifying new rooms for abatement and providing completion dates as late as Nov. 30. Rooms throughout the Rayburn building are being worked on, as is the garage.AOC spokeswoman Eva Malecki said the asbestos in Rayburn and other House buildings is “perfectly safe” when it’s not disturbed. But the AOC routinely removes it whenever workers perform maintenance and other work. That work, she said, is done throughout the year.