An interior designer sounded the alarm this week about a key safety issue facing the demolition of the East Wing of the White House: asbestos.
Taking to Threads for the past two days, Sarah Boardman noted that, given the age of the structure, there likely was some asbestos involved in the construction.
The first part of the East Wing construction began in 1902, but by 1942, another massive renovation began to expand the East Wing.
It should have been top of mind to the Trump administration, as the West Wing of the White House underwent a massive remediation project of asbestos in 2019 that required top advisors to relocate to the second floor of the building while it was being done.
It wasn't until 1989 that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a ban on most products containing asbestos. A court overturned most of the ban, and only a few products have been specifically banned. That, however, includes all new uses of the substance, the EPA describes.
One reason Boardman is aware that no asbestos remediation has occurred is that the White House would have needed to obtain a permit from Washington, D.C. In fact, there haven't been any permits requested for the project.
"I just looked up all the permit records for the White House. There are none for this ballroom abomination. There are no applications. And it clearly says that we own this building," Boardman wrote on Threads with screen captures of the website.
She also looked up specific permits the construction company itself has pulled for the area, and there is no permit listed under their name for 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Her screen capture (below) also showed that there is a "stop work order" or "notices" on the East Wing construction.
The National Capital Planning Commission is the agency in "charge of the construction, preservation, and all plans for the White House," Boardman pointed out. "They do not have permission yet and this is one of the agencies that is closed due to the shutdown. They absolutely did this on purpose."
In July, Trump quietly appointed three of his own people to the Commission, the Daily Beast noted on Wednesday.
"Trump’s decision to appoint his own loyalists to the agency is likely to exacerbate concerns about the lack of transparency surrounding the ballroom renovation, which critics have described as a 'presidential vanity project,'" the Beast reported.
As Boardman explained in her version of a "fast timeline," the "drawings, planning, permissions, permitting" usually take "2-3 years." Whereas asbestos remediation, she said, would likely take six months to a year. Given it is a public and historic project with hazardous materials, it normally would take four to five years because the whole project would have public discussion, and preparation for it would likely take a minimum of two years to ensure the workers and materials were vetted for safety.
"The other part of this demolition at the White House is different. Parts of that building were built not just in 1814 and 1840," Boardman continued, citing the construction and repairs that began after the White House was burned on Aug. 24, 1814, by Canadians who were under the rule of the British at the time.
"Lots of renovations in the '50s, '60s and '70s which have more nefarious materials being used. We are under such strict guidelines when taking apart building like this. They are absolutely not allowed to demo a building like this in the manner that they are. In Chicago, we have to recycle all demo materials," Boardman added.
A video showing construction unfolding on Wednesday revealed that there were no individuals in protective suits, typically used for asbestos remediation. Dust and debris continue to fly into the air, and the only method being used to keep down the dust is a water hose.
"Attention — There are Notices or Stop Work Orders on this Property" reads public permit website from Washington, D.C. (Photo: screen capture via Sarah Boardman)
