Construction fencing and barbed wire surrounds the former community center at Aviano Air Base Area 1 on June 18, 2024. Demolition and a new entry control point have been delayed due to the need for asbestos mitigation. (Brian Erickson/Stars and Stripes)
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy — A $4.9 million project to demolish two buildings and clear the way for a new gate at this Air Force base in northeastern Italy has been put on hold indefinitely due to the presence of asbestos, according to service officials.
Fencing surrounded the base’s former community center and medical administration building seven months ago as contractors prepared to demolish them. The construction company identified the need for asbestos removal, which wasn’t in the contract, shortly after starting the work, said Robert Evans Jr., deputy director for the 31st Mission Support Group.
A building in good condition with asbestos that is left undisturbed is unlikely to endanger health, according to the Environmental Protection Agency website.
But demolition without proper mitigation procedures would release asbestos fibers. Exposure to the silicate mineral has been identified as a cause of scarred lungs and multiple types of cancer.
Asbestos was “widely used in Italy for building and industrial applications until the late ’80s,” according to a 2021 study by Italy’s National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.
Italy banned the use and production of asbestos in 1992.
The 31st Wing is working to obtain additional funding for the unforeseen cost of asbestos mitigation, wing spokeswoman Heather Ley said Friday.
Demolition can restart once the funding is secured, said Ley, who declined to release a cost estimate of the additional work. The Navy Facilities Engineering Systems Command is overseeing the project.
Prior to the asbestos discovery, the project was expected to take 18 months and be ready in June 2025, Evans said. The proposed entry control point at Area 1 would improve force protection and traffic flow, particularly at the school, medical group and community center sites, he added.
