Illinois § 5

§ 5.

Legislative declaration. The General Assembly finds that: (1) Substantial amounts of asbestos materials were used throughout commercial and public buildings during the period from 1946 and 1972 for fireproofing, soundproofing, decorative and other purposes. (2) Exposure to asbestos fibers and particles in the air over a long period of time has been linked by reputable medical and scientific authorities to a significant increase in the incidence of disease, such as asbestosis, bronchogenic carcinoma, mesothelioma, and other malignancies. (3) Precise scientific data as to the levels at which asbestos materials constitute a hazard to health are not yet available and may not be available for many years to come because of the long period of time that elapses between the onset of exposure and the appearance of clinically detectable illness; however, mesothelioma has been found among individuals exposed to asbestos in some nonoccupational settings. (4) When there is a desire of the owner or occupant of a commercial or public building to remove, encapsulate, or enclose asbestos containing material, the removal, encapsulation, or enclosure of the asbestos containing material shall be done in accordance with acceptable State approved criteria and by a response action contractor licensed by the State of Illinois. (Source: P.A. 89-143, eff. 7-14-95.)