The Lex Villa Building on Tanner Street in Carrollton, Georgia has just undergone asbestos abatement. Now, with that work complete, the site will be demolished in order to make way for the new Carroll County justice center. The demolition has been scheduled for the middle of February, according to Carroll County Public Works/Solid Waste Superintendent Charles Pope. In the meantime, workers at the site are collecting glass and other recyclable materials.

The removal of asbestos was performed by Pyramid Remedial Systems Inc. of Alpharetta, Georgia, and was completed on the 12^th of this month. The removal of asbestos must be done by licensed specialists, as there are a number of state and federal laws which govern and regulate how asbestos must be handled and disposed of.

Asbestos exposure is conclusively linked to the development of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer which affects less than 3,000 Americans each year. There are palliative treatment methods available, including chemo. However, there is no known cure for mesothelioma. The disease typically lies dormant for up to fifty years before an individual begins to suffer from mesothelioma symptoms, with the cancer taking the lives of some patients within just weeks after being diagnosed.

Pope explained to local reporters that the cost of the demolition portion of the project will be lowered by using county labor rather than hiring an independent contractor. “We’re going to go in there and tear it down,” Pope said. “By doing it ourselves it’s going to be pretty reasonable.”