By Patti Dozier

patti.dozier@gaflnews.com

THOMASVILLE — Amid concern about the presence of asbestos in a recently razed Archbold Memorial Hospital building, hospital officials said a small amount of the material was removed earlier this year.

The three-story stucco structure was demolished last week. Debris removal continues.

Archbold completed two annex surveys for hazardous materials, including asbestos, said Michael Noli, project manager for several programs in the Archbold master facility plan.

A 110-square-foot area of floor tiles was found to contain asbestos.

“It was a small building. It was not a building inundated with asbestos from head to toe,” said Perry Mustian, Archbold Memorial Center president and chief executive officer.

Archbold notified the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) and the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Mustian said asbestos abatement was completed long before demolition began.

Neither EPD nor EPA returned Times-Enterprise phone calls Wednesday.

An EPD document shows Archbold notified the agency of asbestos-removal and demolition plans for the structure of about 18,000 square feet.

In a June 5, 2009, letter, Morris Insulation & Environmental in Augusta wrote Archbold saying the company “has properly removed and disposed of the specified asbestos-containing materials” from the annex in accordance with state, local and federal regulations.

Noli said asbestos found in the 82-year-old building, also known as the nurses dorm, was non-friable — or did not crumble — and get into the air.

Asbestos was wet down, bagged and taken away for disposal, Noli said, adding that a watchdog group was hired to oversee the operation.