Asbestos removal part of Kroger remodel, expansion

June 18--A specially licensed contractor has been brought in to remove asbestos as the east side Kroger is remodeled and expanded, but the Kroger company doesn't think customers should be alarmed.

"Numerous stores in the area have gone through this process," said Ron Seay, asset protection manager for the Indianapolis division of Kroger.

Seay said there is asbestos in the adhesive that holds down the floor tiles, but the contractor, SSI Services LLC out of Indianapolis, has a special process that doesn't cause the asbestos to become airborne, which is when it becomes dangerous.

Asbestos is a mineral fiber that occurs in rock and soil, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency's website. It has been used in a variety of construction materials and fire retardants because of its fiber strength and heat resistance.

Asbestos has been used in a variety of building materials, such as roofing shingles and floor tiles. During demolition, asbestos fibers can be released into the air. Exposure to those particles can cause health conditions like lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis.

David Miller, general manager with SSI Services, said the black mastic used to hold the tiles to the floor contains about 2 percent asbestos. However, he said, there's not much potential for the asbestos to be released into the air.

"For the fibers to be released, it would have be pulverized to dust," he said. "That's not going to happen with glue. It doesn't crumble and turn to dust."

Miller said the process for removing the glue is simple. He said a solvent is used to break down the black mastic so it can be scraped into a pile. It is then mixed with cellulose, which dries up some of the liquid, creating something similar to a mud ball. That makes it easier to transport to a landfill that can accept construction debris.

Miller said SSI Services requires employees to wear respirators, but it's more for insurance purposes in this situation.

"Asbestos is only dangerous to you if it's in the air and you breathe it," he said.

Dan Goldblatt, spokesman for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, said he's not familiar with the specific process being used at Kroger, but in general, keeping asbestos wet prevents it from getting into the air. The Department of Environmental Management issues licenses to asbestos abatement professionals, who are required to follow a number of safety procedures, he said.

While the removal is taking place, the entire store is closed to the public and the area being remediated is roped off, Seay said. Kroger employees are in the building during the removal, but Miller said they are safe from asbestos exposure, even though they're not wearing the same protective equipment as SSI Services employees.

"Sure they are, otherwise we wouldn't be doing it that way," he said.

Miller said SSI Services takes air samples every night. He said his company has done the same process in 12 stores and there has never been a single asbestos fiber on one of the air monitors.

The asbestos removal, which shouldn't take more than three weeks, is just one part of a larger expansion set to be complete by early 2015, Seay said. The store is expanding into a retail space that it owns between its current space and Hobby Lobby. Kroger will not be taking over the space currently occupied by Hobby Lobby, he said.

The expansion will include a larger retail section, a greater variety of organic fruits and vegetables and a larger floral section. The beer, wine and liquor shop will be larger as well.

When everything is complete, the store at 1175 S. College Mall Road will be the biggest store in the Indianapolis division, Seay said.

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