Tubman demolition meeting air standards

Demolition continues at the city of Chattanooga's former Harriet Tubman housing complex in East Chattanooga.

Residents who live near the Harriet Tubman demolition can breathe easy, city officials say.

The demolition crews are meeting safe air quality standards and no asbestos contaminants are escaping, said City Councilman Moses Freeman.

Freeman spoke after Assistant City Engineer Dennis Malone gave a report at Tuesday's City Council committee meeting stating that the demolition company, Environmental Abatement, cannot demolish a building until all asbestos is removed from it.

Environmental Abatement is the company responsible for tearing down the 440-unit Harriet Tubman, once the second-largest public housing site in the city.

Freeman called for Tuesday's information meeting at City Council after several East Chattanooga residents raised concerns about the Tubman demolition releasing asbestos into the air.

Malone reported that 63 buildings on the site have had asbestos abatement.

Workers demolished more than 50 percent of 72 buildings. Other buildings will be abated before demolition. Malone expects demolition to be completed by January. Then workers will separate materials, he said.

So dust from the teardown carries no asbestos, Freeman said.

Malone also gave Freeman a typed report of the asbestos abatement process.

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Tubman demolition meeting air standards