Reinvigorate Rock Falls’ Former Micro Industries Building with Asbestos Abatement
Rock Falls, Illinois is taking the steps necessary to rid their city of potentially harmful substances. The Rock Falls City Council recently voted to hire Terracon Consultants of Glendale Heights to undertake a project to removes asbestos from the former Micro Industries building, at a cost of $98,640.

What is Asbestos Abatement?
Asbestos abatement is the process of safely removing asbestos from building materials. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral, found in many building supplies and products created between 1930 and 2000, and is known to carry health risks when disturbed.

City Administrator Robbin Blackert explained that, “As part of our $2.2 million grant that we received for the Rebuild Downtowns and Main Streets, about $600,000 of that was going towards asbestos abatement.” During the inspection, Terracon Consultants discovered forty different areas throughout the five Micro Industries buildings that contained asbestos.

The Abatement Process
In order to safely complete the asbestos abatement process, Terracon Consultants will develop a board-approved project plan, compile a list of materials containing asbestos, perform pre-inspections, create an abatement bid document, and help find and vet potential contractors. As part of the abatement process, Terracon will create a report that documents the abatement process, complete safety inspections, and monitor the elimination or encapsulation of the material.

Robbin Blackert also added that, “You have to have water to remove asbestos, so we don’t want to do it in cold weather. So we’re looking at that time period, with demolition to follow shortly after.” The city is looking to complete the asbestos abatement process in late spring or early summer 2024, setting the stage for the next stage in the redevelopment of the former Micro Industries building in Rock Falls, Illinois.