Grant money to be used for clean up at asbestos-laden former mill
In Middletown, Ohio, will receive a $1.6 million Brownfield cleanup grant to clean up a former paper mill. The grant money is part of a $28 million Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund grant project that will benefit communities all over the state. The grant recipients were announced last week for 16 Brownfield sites in Ohio. Brownfield sites are characterized by the Environmental Protection Agency as sites with asbestos or other contaminants present that are unable to be used until they have been cleaned up. The announcements were made by Governor Ted Strickland and Ohio Department of Development Director Lisa Patt-McDaniel.
Middletown's grant will clean up asbestos and other issues at the STM Property at the former Sutphin Wrenn Union Paper Mill. Once decontamination is complete and rebuilding can begin, officials estimate that the work could create as many as 200 new jobs.
Asbestos abatement is required under environmental law prior to any renovations or demolition, as exposure to asbestos may cause mesothelioma to develop later in life. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that can kill within months of being diagnosed. While there are palliative treatment methods available, including chemo, there is no known cure. The disease typically lies dormant for up to fifty years before an individual begins to suffer from mesothelioma symptoms.
"Too many of our workers and businesses are reeling from this global economic recession, which makes our partnerships with local communities and our efforts to improve Ohio's business climate even more important," Ohio Governor Ted Strickland said. "Clean Ohio investments encourage business development and job creation by revitalizing our communities and previously used industrial properties."
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