Demolition Begins of 'Mr. Fluffy Homes' Contaminated with Asbestos

Australian officials this month will start bulldozing a handful of homes and public buildings contaminated with deadly Mr. Fluffy asbestos insulation. The pilot demolition program is part of the Australian Capital Territory’s (ACT) massive "buyback and demolish" program aimed at eradicating the ongoing risk of asbestos exposure from Mr. Fluffy-brand loose-fill asbestos found in 1,021 homes in Canberra. A spokesperson for the Asbestos Response Taskforce confirmed that more than half of homeowners whose residences are affected by the toxic insulation agreed to the ACT government's offer to purchase their properties. Chief Minister Andrew Barr pressured unresolved homeowners to make a decision, threatening "compulsory acquisitions could be required." "If there are homeowners who are holding back with a view that the Government offer might get better, then I need to be clear that it won't," he said. "And the most likely outcome beyond 30 June is that a less generous offer will be made." The buyback program ends June 30. The broader five-year demolition program is scheduled to begin in July. Asbestos is known to cause mesothelioma, a deadly and rare cancer that affects the membrane that surrounds the lungs, heart and abdominal cavity. Claims of Inflated Prices in a Fluctuating Housing Market The taskforce shows offers to buy back homes are averaging nearly $700,000. At that rate, the total cost of the ACT's buyback program could reach close to $703.5 million. However...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Asbestos Exposure & Bans Source Type: news