GOLDSBORO, NC — The City of Goldsboro has halted residential demolition work after discovering that two demolition projects were initiated without following required legal procedures, including environmental protocols related to asbestos.
According to a statement released Thursday, city officials immediately stopped all work after learning of the issues and secured the affected properties to protect public safety. The City has also hired a qualified contractor to clean, remediate, and properly dispose of hazardous materials at the sites in compliance with state and federal regulations.
A subsequent internal review identified multiple concerns involving contracting practices, policy compliance, and the qualifications of the vendor performing the work. City officials said the most significant issue involved violations of required asbestos handling procedures.
The City identified the following problems during its investigation:
- At 310 S. Herman Street, partial demolition was ordered and began despite the known presence of asbestos. Officials said asbestos-containing material was disturbed, and the site was left unfinished without the legally required environmental remediation.
- At 709 N. Virginia Street, demolition work began before mandatory asbestos testing had been completed.
- The investigation also found that the contractor transported demolition debris containing asbestos-contaminated material to a local landfill.
City officials said they immediately notified the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Hazards Control Unit and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality to report the incidents, request guidance, and coordinate compliance efforts.
An accredited asbestos professional has been retained to assess the affected properties and oversee the safe remediation of hazardous materials.
The City said it is working closely with state regulators and environmental professionals to ensure both sites remain secured and properly contained. Based on current assessments and containment measures already in place, officials said there is no indication of an immediate risk to public health.
“The safety of our residents is the City’s highest priority,” the City stated. “The public is being notified for awareness purposes.”
Goldsboro officials emphasized that the City maintains strict minimum housing and demolition procedures designed to protect property owners’ rights and safeguard public health. The City also stated it has a zero-tolerance policy for deviations from those requirements and will continue working with state agencies until both sites are fully remediated and brought into compliance.
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