As part of the current construction project, asbestos containing material was found to be present in piping insulation. The Park Ridge Library Board of Trustees voted February 16, 2021, to approve contracts for asbestos abatement and related project management.

Abatement work will be done March 8-11, between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. The work will take place in a protected area of the first floor of the building and will be completed before the Library opens for the day. Library staff will not be working on the first floor while the abatement work is being done. This area of the building was not part of the 2018 renovation.

The Library has contracted with CEC Environment, an Illinois Department of Public Health-licensed company whose staff is trained and certified in hazardous remediation procedures and OSHA compliance. During the abatement work, Ramboll, the Library’s environmental consultant, will provide on-site project management and daily air sampling and testing, and will perform final air clearance monitoring of the abatement work areas.  Ramboll has extensive experience providing asbestos management services and has worked with the Park Ridge Public Library on several occasions.