POST OFFICE ASBESTOS REMOVAL WAS RUSHED AT DEVELOPER REQUEST

Last week's asbestos removal from the former Maplewood Village Post Office site, which was not noticed to residents in advance or made public with any signage at the scene, was rushed without the usual 10-day state notification requirement, according to documents released by the Township this week.

You may recall that the building, now owned by JMF Properties, had windows removed by the developer on Friday. During that time it was found that asbestos was in some of the caulking of the windows.

A letter from the developers to the New Jersey Department of Labor Asbestos Control and Licensing division, indicated the company had to rush the removal due to a water leak that made the asbestos wet "and therefore needs to be removed immediately." It added the developers were under "extreme time restraint and this is holding up other work that needs to be completed."

See that letter below:

A follow-up letter from ABS Environmental Services, which JMF apparently hired to do the removal, indicated the asbestos removed was also in pipe insulation, floor tiles and windows.

See that below:

The Township posted these documents online with an update that declared: "Old Post Office Redevelopment begins in earnest with asbestos abatement."