Governor responds to asbestos allegations.
Gov. Mark Parkinson labeled as alarming Thursday allegations by former Topeka Correctional Facility inmates and workers of improper disposal of asbestos waste during renovation projects orchestrated by the Kansas Department of Corrections.
The US Environmental Protection Agency is investigating assertions the staff and prisoners were exposed to the cancer-causing material during demolition activities at the facility. EPA stepped in after a complaint was forwarded to federal officials by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
“It does alarm me anytime we have an environmental problem in one of our state buildings, especially asbestos, which is an issue we’ve known about as a society for 30 years,” Parkinson said in an interview at the Statehouse. “That’s why I endorsed the EPA coming in, figuring out what the situation is and, hopefully, developing a plan.”
Former inmates and employees of the East Topeka prison have said they were exposed to thick asbestos-tainted dust when floor tiles were ground to a powder with heavy machinery during projects performed before and after 2005. Some workers said they wore paper face masks, while others said they had no protective gear or specialized training. The staff and prisoners said complaints about working conditions were ignored by KDOC managers.
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