Asbestos
Our goal is to share information and encourage all involved parties to share information, so that all citizens, especially those who live close to the Metrolina Warehouse site, are well informed. The Town of Davidson will serve as the local connector to resources, since we are not the experts in this arena. Please contact the employees listed below if your questions are not answered by the content on this page:
Lindsay Laird, planning technician in our planning department, can answer questions related to permits and digging.
Email: llaird@townofdavidson.org
Phone: 704-940-9611
Betsy Shores, Town Clerk, can also answer questions.
Email: bshores@townofdavidson.org
Phone: 704-940-9614
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) is responsible for work being done at the Metrolina Warehouse site (301 Depot Street). The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for remediating the properties adjacent to the Metrolina Warehouse site and in the surrounding area. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (Division of Public Health) can answer questions regarding health concerns based on potential asbestos exposure.
Metrolina Warehouse site (301 Depot Street)
In September 2016, Miller-Valentine, the developer for the Metrolina Warehouse site, held a meeting with citizens who live adjacent to the site to discuss their plans for their proposed Davidson Depot project. At that meeting, the developer and a representative from the NC Department of Environmental Quality’s Brownfields Program discussed the plans for environmental remediation of the underground asbestos material at the site. Many specific and detailed questions were asked about the remediation and construction processes. At that time, the developer was not far along enough in the planning process to be able to fully answer questions from citizens -- they are working on that plan to share with citizens at a future meeting. Also in that September meeting, concerns were raised by citizens about the impacts adjacent to the site, so the state requested the Environmental Protection Agency’s review of the area in Davidson.
Metrolina Warehouse site (301 Depot Street) outlined in red:
On December 15, 2016, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality held a meeting at the Ada Jenkins Center to explain its interim process to re-stabilize the Metrolina Warehouse site. They placed green silt fencing around the west side of the site along Sloan Street to contain any asbestos that might be released due to erosion or varmints digging.
In January 2017, they completed the interim process to secure the Metrolina Warehouse site until a more permanent engineered process is determined. This interim work included:
- Installation of a closure system for the exposed asbestos-containing material at the property.
- Stabilization of the slope along Sloan Street to prevent further release of asbestos-containing material from the property.
- Maintenance and monitoring.
- Precautions for asbestos-containing material exposure will be required during the work at the property.
If you see asbestos-containing material that has been released from the Metrolina Warehouse site or have questions about environmental issues related to the site, please contact the following people:
If you are a utility or a construction company, please contact the following before you dig:
Miguel Alvalle
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ)
Division of Waste Management
610 East Center Avenue, Suite 310
Mooresville, NC 28115
Email: Miguel.Alvalle@ncdenr.gov
Phone: 704-663-1699
Carolyn Minnich, Brownfields Project Manager
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ)
Email: carolyn.minnich@ncdenr.gov
Phone: 704-661-0330
EPA work adjacent to Metrolina Warehouse site
On November 1, 2016, the representative from the state’s Brownfields Program and the U.S. EPA came to Davidson to conduct a site survey and to make plans to contact adjacent residents. When they were here, they discovered some asbestos-containing material along Eden and Sloan streets that was released from the site. The release was the result of a varmint digging in to the embankment and a localized area where erosion had occurred. The property owner was contacted and immediately hired a certified contractor to remove the material and remediate. The EPA is visiting properties in a ring around the Metrolina Warehouse site property to see if residents/property owners will agree to free soil testing. If asbestos is found on their site, the EPA will fund remediation, making the property safe.
Update as of October 13, 2017: The EPA concluded their work in Davidson on Wednesday, August 30, 2017 and held a community meeting on October 3, 2017 to provide an overview of the successful remediation work they completed.
Here is a map that shows which properties were tested and the results at each property:
Work to remediate properties is scheduled to begin on April 24, 2017. As of now, we have been told that they will start working on the properties along:
1. Depot Street, then possibly
2. Eden Street and then
3. Sloan Street and the other areas nearby
Streets will be closed to vehicular traffic while work is being done. Citizens will be notified of closures ahead of time, and a detour will be set up. Work will last approximately 2-4 months.
For questions related to the EPA's work, please contact:
Jordan Garrard
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency On-Scene Coordinator
Email: garrard.jordan@epa.gov
Phone: 678-644-8648
Angela Miller
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Community Involvement Coordinator
Email: miller.angela@epa.gov
Phone: 678-575-8132
Health Concerns
If you are concerned that you might have been exposed to asbestos and have questions about your health, please contact the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (Division of Public Health):
Beth Dittman
Environmental Program Consultant
Email: nchace@dhhs.nc.gov
Phone: 919-707-5900
Health Assessment Consultation & Education Fact Sheet
Limiting Environmental Exposure
CURRENT STATUS as of October 13. 2017:
The Town of Davidson continues to work with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality to ensure that post-remediation protocols are in place to monitor the release of asbestos-containing material going forward. We are working on the proper tools and legal mechanisms, including a potential local ordinance, to ensure that monitoring and reporting are in place. Currently, the owner of the Metrolina Warehouse has no plans to re-develop the site.