Dust from demolition of hundreds of Kansas City homes “poses health risk”
Kansas City’s demolition practices are being called into question now that the city has started two projects that will tear down over several years more than 1,000 pre-1978 homes, mainly on the East Side.
According to state regulations, demolition dust must be kept to a minimum and should not be visible beyond property boundaries.
But news photos and videos in recent months captured two home demolitions that show clouds of dust blowing into neighborhoods.
In one case in January, in an area being cleared for the new East Patrol police station, an excavator with a huge claw ripped into a home and dust drifted over a few dozen onlookers, including city officials, residents and children.
In another demolition in September, part of the city’s effort to begin ridding neighborhoods of the blight of abandoned homes, Mayor Sly James operated the equipment. Dust swelled, choking the mayor and onlookers.
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