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- Iowa apartment complex contains asbestos
An apartment complex in Cedar Rapids, Iowa recently tested positive for the presence of asbestos, reports the area's ABC news affiliate, KCRG.com.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources confirmed the news that asbestos had been found at the Hawthorne Hills Apartments. The rooms found with the harmful mineral were unoccupied and in the process of being renovated.
“We’re being proactive, we’re doing even more than we need to do according to the DNR to make this a safe place,” said Liz Mathis of the nonprofit organization Four Oaks, which oversees the apartments.
According to Mathis, the complex tested negative for asbestos in 2005. It is unclear what the next step is for the complex, but exposure to asbestos can lead to health problems.
Asbestos can be released into the air if disturbed, and once inhaled it can cause serious illness, such as mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer. During the 20th century, the mineral was used as an insulator for buildings.
People who worry they may have contracted an asbestos-related illness, such as mesothelioma, often try to seek compensation through an
asbestos law firm.