Why I Have Been Absent and Grouchy

[Tamarack]

Stack Demolition

My work involves investigation and cleanup of contaminated soils and groundwater, and redevelopment of contaminated properties, known far and wide as "brownfields". When dealing with redevelopment, dealing with asbestos is inevitable.

Ever since this stack was determined to be unstable on June 22, I have been writing endless plans and sitting in endless meetings and conference calls. Conference calls have included 6-8 Michigan Dept of Environmental Quality employees yelling at me. I am getting yelled at on behalf of my client, a group of investors trying to take an old industrial site on a lake and turn it into a lakeside development with condos, restaurants, bike trails, etc.

A couple of key points:

• The asbestos-containing paint is 2-3% asbestos in a paint matrix, not nearly as harmful as the 40% asbestos insulation on boilers and steam pipes (and many homes) -- don't try argue this point with the Air Quality Division
• Explosives aren't nearly as exciting as they used to be. Demolition contractors, mining operations, etc. use as minimum amount of explosives and extensive measures to minimize noise and dust. More like a thump than a blast when explosives are detonated.

Off to Muskegon for a Saturday meeting. Stack demolition rescheduled for 7:00 AM Tuesday.

[fauxmaha]

That should be fun to watch!

[drlj]

Yow. It does not sound like a fun thing at all. Being stuck in the middle of something like this with angry people all around sounds terrible.
Good luck. I hope the pressure lessens soon.

[mnhermit]

feelin' for ya Don,

but watchin' that stack come down would be AWESOME!

[Dub]

Don, you're definitely entitled to be grouchy. Sorry you're on the middle of it all. I hope you're being well compensated for all of this.

As the former site of an old paper mill, I'm guessing there is mercury involved too. Is the soil contaminated?

[godotwaits]

That's why you make the big money...

[Doug]

I know how to blow stuff up.  And I bet I'm cheaper.  Three wraps of det chord and down the bad boy comes. 

[Village Idiot]

Jul 15, 2017 8:21:03 GMT -5 Tamarack said:

• The asbestos-containing paint is 2-3% asbestos in a paint matrix, not nearly as harmful as the 40% asbestos insulation on boilers and steam pipes (and many homes) -- don't try argue this point with the Air Quality Division

Don't you love it when people who know absolutely nothing about your job know more than you do? I'm reading loads of frustration in that line alone.

I hope Tuesday afternoon comes quickly for you, and that you can relax when all is said and done.

[Dub]

Jul 15, 2017 12:52:55 GMT -5 Village Idiot said:

Don't you love it when people who know absolutely nothing about your job know more than you do?

Anyone who's ever worked in IT (or probably any technical field) is very familiar with that.

Of course that never happens in education.

[Marshall]

Blow that sucker sky high !

Blast the debris to North Korea.

[Doug]

Jul 15, 2017 13:58:12 GMT -5 Marshall said:

Blow that sucker sky high !

Blast the debris to North Korea.

[brucemacneill]

The Mythbusters said "When in doubt, C4!"

[theevan]

I guess Mr. Briggs doesn't have the pull you wish he had.

You'd think the EQ people would be more educated in their field.

[millring]

You don't need an excuse to be grouchy. Absent, though, is different.

[Village Idiot]

So today was Tuesday. Did you git 'er done?

[fauxmaha]

Surely there are videos coming out way, right?

[xyrn]

Jul 15, 2017 10:45:48 GMT -5 Doug said:

I know how to blow stuff up.  And I bet I'm cheaper.  Three wraps of det chord and down the bad boy comes. 

I looked on as my neighbor blew up a stump between our two houses.
Well, I supplied the fuse and the FFFg Go-Ex but he drilled the charge hole, filled it and lit it (and then ran like hell).



I can see how people that kinda figur' they can do something can have things go wrong.
(I'm not immune.)

I don't know of it shows in the clip but a water-bottle-sized chunk flew right past me, and I'm surprised he didn't blow out the window on his house (that his wife and kid were looking out at the moment)!

Did sound cool though.

[xyrn]

Jul 15, 2017 10:45:48 GMT -5 Doug said:

I know how to blow stuff up.  And I bet I'm cheaper.  Three wraps of det chord and down the bad boy comes. 

I looked on as my neighbor blew up a stump between our two houses.
Well, I supplied the fuse and the FFFg Go-Ex but he drilled the charge hole, filled it and lit it (and then ran like hell).





I can see how people that kinda figur' they can do something can have things go wrong.
(I'm not immune.)

I don't know of it shows in the clip but a water-bottle-sized chunk flew right past me, and I'm surprised he didn't blow out the window on his house (that his wife and kid were looking out at the moment)!

Did sound cool though.

[Tamarack]

I am considerably less grouchy tonight.




www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiO5ObvcpIA

The stack came down at 7:00 AM this morning. It fell exactly as planned into a water-filled bermed area. The DEQ had a vision of a massive asbestos-laden dust cloud descending on the neighborhood. In actuality, there was almost no dust (although water splashed to an impressive height when the stack hit.) What little dust there was was knocked down by Dust Destroyers - massive mist machines. Hab's Restaurant, about 150 feet from the base of the stack, was protected by a berm and Dust Destroyers, so that Muskegon's pastrami supply is safe.

After the stack was down, it was my job to check out the stack and the extent of debris. Kinda like checking out a beached whale or a post-industrial apocalypse.

A lower-level DEQ person watched the demolition. When pressed, he said it looked fine to him.

Our client is overjoyed.

[Dub]

Jul 18, 2017 23:20:17 GMT -5 Tamarack said:

Our client is overjoyed.

Excellent.