[ADEQ Media] ADEQ Director Owens Announces Asbestos Awareness Seminar to be Held Friday, June 13 in Clarkdale

[media@lists.azdeq.gov]

ADEQ Director Owens Announces Asbestos Awareness Seminar to be Held
Friday, June 13 in Clarkdale

PHOENIX (June 6, 2008) -- Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
Director Steve Owens announced today that ADEQ will conduct the second
of a series of Asbestos Awareness Seminars on Friday, June 13 in
Clarkdale to help demolition and renovation contractors and small
communities comply with asbestos regulations. 

ADEQ, in partnership with the Arizona chapter of the Environmental
Information Association, conducted the first Asbestos Awareness Seminar
in April in Holbrook. Another of the seminars will be held Aug. 15 in
Kingman. 

These seminars are free but registration is required. Registration for
the seminar in Clarkdale -- which will be held at Clark Memorial
Clubhouse, 19 N. Ninth Street -- is required on or before Wednesday,
June 11. For additional information, please visit www.eia-az.org or
contact ADEQ at asbestos@azdeq.gov. 

Director Owens launched the Route 66 Asbestos Initiative last October to
address potential asbestos problems in small communities throughout
Arizona and ensure that asbestos-containing material is handled and
disposed of properly. 

Owens said: "Many small communities across the state have older
buildings they want to preserve, renovate or even demolish that contain
asbestos. If asbestos is not handled properly during a renovation or
demolition, it can present a huge risk to public health, as well as
cause the site to become contaminated. Through the Route 66 Initiative
we are providing technical assistance to communities to ensure that
asbestos is dealt with safely and properly and, if there is
contamination, find ways to help the community clean up the site." 

Owens noted that as part of the asbestos initiative, ADEQ has designated
an outreach specialist in its air-quality division to provide technical
assistance and asbestos education to rural communities.

 "We want local officials to contact us if they have any questions about
potential asbestos problems in their communities," Owens said. "We also
want them to alert us about any improper demolition or renovation
activities that can present a risk of asbestos exposure to people." 

The seminars are designed for contractors but are open to anyone seeking
information about compliance with the asbestos regulations.

-30-

News media interested in additional information on this or any other
topic concerning the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality should
contact the Office of Communications at (602) 771-2215 or via email at
communications@azdeq.gov.

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