The state Health Department began investigating complaints that the owners of a downtown Honolulu high rise are removing dangerous asbestos without proper safeguards.

The Queen Emma Building is located on Queen Emma Street, just mauka of Beretania.

The building has been worked on for more than three weeks, and the building owners have neglected to get a required permit with the city.

Tenants of the building filmed construction crews throwing construction debris that could contain asbestos into a Dumpster. The lack of the normal, strict disposal methods were especially worrisome because the building is across the street from both a church and two schools.

"We're seriously concerned about the health risks to the people in the neighborhood, especially the children," said Bill McCorriston, a lawyer for the owners of the building's master lease.

Children were seen walking across the street from the dust-ridden construction site on their way home from Saint Andrews Priory, a nearby girls school.

"People go to jail for knowingly exposing children and people to hazardous materials, so the activity obviously should stop right away," said McCorriston.
Asbestos was used for insulation and a fire retardant in older buildings, like the Queen Emma Building, which was built in 1962. New asbestos installation has been banned, and its removal is strictly regulated, because asbestos causes cancer.

A state health department spokeswoman said the tests came back negative for asbestos. But the department is still investigating to see if the owners did a required pre-renovation asbestos survey.

City records show the owners did not apply for a demolition permit, as required by law.

The city issued a notice of violation for the illegal demolition work on Monday.