By Paul H.B. Shin
New York Daily News Staff Writer
http://www.nydailynews.com
November 9, 2005
City inspectors have discovered dangerous levels of mercury vapor in Brooklyn's tallest building, triggering a cleanup before the landmark is converted to luxury condos, the Daily News has learned.
Air samples taken inside the Williamsburgh Savings Bank, a longtime mecca for dentists, who use mercury for fillings, showed that mercury vapor levels exceeded the government-allowed limit in at least one room, according to a city Health Department inspection in June.
In a former dentist's office on the eighth floor of the 34-story tower, an air sampler recorded 2,300 to 2,400 nanograms of mercury vapor per cubic meter, more than twice the level that would trigger a cleanup in a residential unit.
A third of the other locations checked had vapor levels exceeding the residential thresholds of 200 to 300 nanograms recommended by two government agencies, even though they were under the limit that would mandate a cleanup, the inspection showed.
Andrew MacArthur, an official with Dermot Co., the developer behind the conversion of the building into 216 condo apartments and retail space, said the firm is planning to replace the plumbing, which is believed to be the source of the contamination.
"To the extent that all the plumbing is being ripped out of the building, we don't see that there should be any problem. But we certainly have plans to double-check everything when it comes to the vapor," he said.
Experts said mercury can linger if not properly cleaned up.
"Generally speaking, it's not easy to remediate mercury," said Anthony Carpi, an environmental toxicologist at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
And for homes, the stricter standard of 200 to 300 nanograms should be used, he said.
"These limits are more relevant because if you're talking about the residential setting, you can easily have situations where people are exposed nearly 24 hours a day, seven days a week," Carpi said.
HSBC sold the landmark skyscraper to a joint venture of the Dermot Co. and the Canyon-Johnson Urban Fund, a Los Angeles real estate investment firm headed by NBA Hall of Famer Earvin (Magic) John-son.