Luba and Erik on wed 17 dec 03
A friend of mine is planning on moving his production pottery business into
a brick warehouse which has been inspected for environmental contamination
and found to be generally ok, with the exception of some lead dust
(concentrations of about 15,000 micrograms per square foot - vs. acceptable
epa levels of about 200 micrograms). (It used to be a welding factory of
some sort, and apparently solder used to have lead... hence the dust)
He's called around and gotten a bunch of different answers from lead
clean-up companies. Some have made it out like a national disaster area and
quoted him astronomical clean up fees (upwards of $10,000), others have
pretty much laughed and told him to get a hose and some sponges and just
wash the studio out completely. Does anyone have a reality check on this
situation?
I know that lead (in any form) is no laughing matter, but does it really
take expensive men in little space suits to wash out a building with that
level of contamination? Or do you think can he just wear gloves and a
respirator and pressure wash all the surfaces? He's not on line at the
moment, but I'll share with him any insite or comments anyone would be able
to provide. Thanks so much y'all!
Luba at MudFire in sunny but chilly (for our southern bonese) Atlanta
luba@mudfire.com
MudFire Pottery Center
Open Studio * Gallery * Workshops
1441 Dresden Drive, Suite 250
Atlanta, GA 30319
404-969-3260
www.mudfire.com
pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on wed 17 dec 03
Hi Luba,
If it was me....
I'd use...some strong soap, and water, a sturdy bristle
brush...scrub...
Then hose everything off fron high down to low, hose it
'out', and or push Broom it out the door and the hell with
it...
It is an old 'industrial' Building? Should have a big,
Roll - Up Door...and a floor of Concrete...
I'd clean as I mentioned above, and maybe repaint with some
decent low gloss Oil base...
And call if "good-enuf"...
Phil
Las Vegas
----- Original Message -----
From: "Luba and Erik"
To:
Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2003 9:09 AM
Subject: lead dust cleanup question
> A friend of mine is planning on moving his production
pottery business into
> a brick warehouse which has been inspected for
environmental contamination
> and found to be generally ok, with the exception of some
lead dust
> (concentrations of about 15,000 micrograms per square
foot - vs. acceptable
> epa levels of about 200 micrograms). (It used to be a
welding factory of
> some sort, and apparently solder used to have lead...
hence the dust)
>
> He's called around and gotten a bunch of different answers
from lead
> clean-up companies. Some have made it out like a national
disaster area and
> quoted him astronomical clean up fees (upwards of
$10,000), others have
> pretty much laughed and told him to get a hose and some
sponges and just
> wash the studio out completely. Does anyone have a
reality check on this
> situation?
>
> I know that lead (in any form) is no laughing matter, but
does it really
> take expensive men in little space suits to wash out a
building with that
> level of contamination? Or do you think can he just wear
gloves and a
> respirator and pressure wash all the surfaces? He's not
on line at the
> moment, but I'll share with him any insite or comments
anyone would be able
> to provide. Thanks so much y'all!
> Luba at MudFire in sunny but chilly (for our southern
bonese) Atlanta
> luba@mudfire.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> MudFire Pottery Center
> Open Studio * Gallery * Workshops
>
> 1441 Dresden Drive, Suite 250
> Atlanta, GA 30319
> 404-969-3260
> www.mudfire.com
>
>
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iandol on fri 19 dec 03
Dear Luba and Erik,
Big problem with lead residues is the Density of both the free metal and =
the oxides.
Needs a very strong action to dislodge some of this industrial detritus. =
The metal is soft and over time gets smeared into the concrete becoming =
mechanically bonded.
Needs specialist processes to get rid of it. . Sounds as though your =
friends need a high pressure water jet suction cleaner with filtering =
and water recycling capabilities.Flushing it down the drains would be an =
irresponsible act
Had the task of cleaning an factory floor a few decades ago. Place had =
been a Rope Walk, making marine hawsers. Floor was thick, like inches =
deep with a mixture of oil, tar, tow, wire. I joined the team after they =
had started with scrapers and shovels. the were using a lot of "brawn" =
and making about three or four square yards a day. I wanted the easy =
way. Made up a benign mixture of goodies, poured it over the "stuff" and =
suggested a "smoko" for half an hour. Went back, turned the high =
pressure hose onto the "stuff" and it rolled up like a carpet. Left the =
concrete almost pure white. the residues were shovelled into the back of =
a truck and take to an industrial disposal facility. My reward for the =
time saved and reduced overheads, promotion to Personal Assistant to the =
Chairman. The pay saw us through the lean years while we were in =
College.
Jan L. Peterson on fri 19 dec 03
I guess we need you up here in Idaho to help them understand the lead animal.
They've been here twenty years, and, while they have learned a few things,
they still aren't paying attention to the fact that in our dirt and riverbeds
and mountains we are lead rich, and no amount of digging and trucking it from
point A to point B gets rid of it. They now use plastic after they dig six
inches to twelve deep, finally caught on that the plastic has to go up the sides,
and then is still iffy. Then they bring dirt in from out of town somewhere that
has absolutely nothing but rocks in it, through some sod on the top and make
a new lawn. Trouble is, the lawns they did at the start are all contaminated,
and require work. What the Gods put in aint gonna come out too easy! Jan, the
Alleycat.
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