Barr’s Grand Rapids office assisted a major pharmaceutical manufacturer with the decommissioning and demolition of a 27-acre manufacturing facility located in Michigan. Our initial activities involved completing a pre-demolition hazards characterization assessment of the facility. Based on the assessment, we assisted in the development of a bid specification for the demolition contract. Once bid, Barr's staff provided on-site oversight during demolition to confirm the proper management and disposal of all materials and to address environmental conditions encountered during the work. Our staff served as the owner’s representative for all waste characterization and management decision-making, including the preparation of waste profiles for the various waste streams generated during demolition.
Our team also prepared a comprehensive asbestos survey and provided oversight of environmentally sensitive aspects of the demolition process. This included concrete impacted from historic spills of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) and RCRA-listed hazardous wastes, PCB-containing coatings on process equipment and building components, asbestos-containing caulks and coatings, accumulated stormwater, and concrete flooring and foundations in areas of impacted soil and shallow groundwater.
As a result, there were no unanticipated costs or delays due to environmental issues encountered during demolition. The project team also successfully petitioned the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality for approval to use crushed concrete from the demolition as on-site backfill, resulting in significant cost savings. After demolition, we prepared a comprehensive demolition report, which is maintained by the client as a permanent record of the former manufacturing facility.