The discovery of insulation which may contain asbestos has delayed the demolition of the former Haldimand County administration building in Cayuga.

Still, the county expects to have the building and the former museum in back of it removed by Christmas, with site clean-up continuing into January.

The insulation at issue has a vermiculite base. Vermiculite is a soft, brittle mineral similar in appearance to mica.

“The vermiculite removal has taken six weeks as it was found throughout the building,” Kyra Hayes, a spokesperson for Haldimand County, said this week in an email.

“Vermiculite can contain asbestos or not. It is industry standard to have it tested for asbestos any time it is found in a building. Vermiculite insulation (consists of) small, light particles that can be easily breathed into someone’s lungs if the proper personal protective equipment and proper containment set-up for removal is not followed.”

Asbestos is an issue during demolition because microscopic fibres have been implicated in potentially fatal respiratory illnesses and cancer. Asbestos was once valued as a building material for its fire-resistant properties. However, it is no longer used in this manner and strict protocols are in place to ensure fibres don’t become airborne during demolitions.

With the vermiculite insulation removed, the focus of the demolition on Munsee Street North shifts back to areas where asbestos is still present. Once hydro to the building is disconnected, Hayes says the demolition will begin in earnest.

“The public should see both buildings down before Christmas, with some site clean-up taking place in January,” she said.

The former town hall in Cayuga has served as a municipal administration building in Haldimand since its construction in 1968.

For the first six years of its existence, the complex was the administrative nerve centre of the original Haldimand County.

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