City of Philadelphia - File #: 130711

• File #: 130711
• Version: 0
• Type: Resolution
• Status: ADOPTED
• File created: 10/3/2013
• In control: Committee of the Whole
• Final action: 12/5/2013
• Title: Authorizing the formation of a Hazardous Material Policy Group, to consider and make recommendations on the abatement of additional hazardous substances at demolition sites prior to demolition and to report its findings to the Special Investigating Committee on Demolition Practices.
• Sponsors: Councilmember Jones, Councilmember Quiñones Sánchez, Councilmember Henon, Councilmember Kenney, Councilmember Blackwell

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
12/5/2013	0	CITY COUNCIL	ADOPTED
11/21/2013	0	CITY COUNCIL	ORDERED PLACED ON FINAL PASSAGE CALENDAR FOR NEXT MEETING.	Pass
11/18/2013	0	Committee of the Whole	HEARING NOTICES SENT
11/18/2013	0	Committee of the Whole	HEARING HELD
11/18/2013	0	Committee of the Whole	REPORTED FAVORABLY
11/14/2013	0	Committee of the Whole	HEARING NOTICES SENT
11/14/2013	0	Committee of the Whole	HEARING HELD
11/14/2013	0	Committee of the Whole	RECESSED
11/12/2013	0	Committee of the Whole	HEARING NOTICES SENT
11/12/2013	0	Committee of the Whole	HEARING HELD
11/12/2013	0	Committee of the Whole	RECESSED
10/10/2013	0	CITY COUNCIL	READ
10/10/2013	0	CITY COUNCIL	Referred
10/3/2013	0	CITY COUNCIL	Introduced and Ordered Placed On Next Week's Final Passage Calendar	Pass

Title
Authorizing the formation of a Hazardous Material Policy Group, to consider and make recommendations on the abatement of additional hazardous substances at demolition sites prior to demolition and to report its findings to the Special Investigating Committee on Demolition Practices.

Body
WHEREAS, The Health Code requires buildings constructed prior to 1980 to be inspected for asbestos and the presence of asbestos must be abated prior to demolition; and

WHEREAS, Numerous concerns have been brought before the Special Investigating Committee on Demolition Practices about other hazardous materials that may be present on demolition sites; and

WHEREAS, Some hazardous materials that are easily identified such as lead paints, oil solvents, PCB transformers, and other hazardous wastes are not required to be abated prior to demolition under the current Health Code provisions; and

WHEREAS, Popular methods of demolition including collapsing the building in upon itself, filling the basement and foundation with the debris, carting away the excess debris, or hand demolition, both of which may expose workers to toxic or hazardous materials; and

WHEREAS, These methods can create dust clouds that contaminate the air and soil. Any unremoved hazardous materials such as left-over paints, cleaners, and solvents that contaminate the soil risk release into the subsurface, potentially impacting groundwater quality; and

WHEREAS, The Special Investigating Committee finds it imperative to form a multidisciplinary Hazardous Materials Policy Group with representatives of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, the Philadelphia Fire Department, the Philadelphia Water Department, the Department of Licenses and Inspections, Laborer's District Council Local 332, and other industry and environmental experts; and

WHEREAS, The Hazardous Materials Group, shall be tasked with identifying hazardous materials that should be abated from demolition sites prior to demoli...