City weighs options for dealing with asbestos house

The City of Idaho Falls is considering building a fence around a demolished house at 167 Whittier due to asbestos.

The property is owned by Gary Trent Donaldson.

According to city spokesperson Kerry McCullough, Blackfoot contractor Dave Price told the city planning department Donaldson told him tests determined there was asbestos in the vinyl flooring and sheet rock joint compound. If the house were standing, the material could have been safely removed.

Donaldson is believed to be in Oakley, and has so far not responded to city notices.

Price said the material does not pose a health threat to the public unless it is disturbed.

The Bonneville County transfer station refused to take the material.

The house is in piles now. The city said all of the material will have to be treated as if it were all positive for asbestos. That means everything would have to be wrapped and contained in double-lined Dumpsters and include an Environmental Protection Agency manifest when it goes to the landfill.

The only authorized landfills are in Pocatello and Mud Lake.

The city estimated the cost of that treatment would be $60,000 to $75,000.