The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is overseeing the removal of asbestos at the site of the crane shed demolition in Bend.

The project should be completed in two to three weeks.

Crown Investment Group LLC demolished the historic Brooks-Scanlon crane shed on Aug. 19 without a demolition permit from the city and without following DEQ procedures. DEQ regulations required that before the building was demolished a survey be done to look for asbestos.

Officials with Crown have said they went ahead and demolished the crane shed because of safety concerns. They said the building was structurally unsound.

Asbestos is the name for a number of natural silicate minerals that have been mined for use as such things as thermal insulation.

The fibers can get into the air and may become inhaled into the lungs.

They may cause significant health problems, such as lung disease and cancer, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Crown filed for a permit to demolish the 67-year-old crane shed in March. The massive building, located at 721 Industrial Way, was used for decades by the Brooks-Scanlon Mill to store lumber before sending it to market.

It served more recently as a warehouse and distribution center for a beverage company but was in need of repair.

After failing to win permission to raze the building from the Deschutes County Landmarks Commission, Crown sued the city for not making a decision on its request within 120 days, as required by state law. Under an agreement with the city, the landmarks commission hears all land-use cases related to historic properties.

The DEQ does not know how much asbestos was present in the structure. Air monitoring of the site has not indicated dangerous levels of airborne asbestos fibers.

”DEQ was not notified prior to the demolition and has no information indicating that an asbestos building survey was performed prior to the demolition as required by the regulations,” according to a statement from the DEQ. The DEQ issued a notice of noncompliance to Crown Investment Group for several violations of the asbestos regulations and is continuing to investigate. It is not clear yet what fines or penalties the DEQ may issue to Crown.

Crown may also face penalties from the city.

Asbestos was found in some of the building’s roofing material. Crown hired a licensed asbestos contractor to remove the material. All the roofing material is being treated as if it contained asbestos.

To remove the roofing material, it is being separated from the other material and placed in front-end loaders lined with plastic. The plastic will be sealed and transferred to Dumpsters lined with plastic for transport to Knott Landfill.

The DEQ has required that the workers on the project wear respirators and protective clothing. The material will continue to be kept wet using sprinklers, water trucks and hoses, according to a statement from the agency.

Air monitoring is being done during the project and workers wear their own personal air monitors.

More information about asbestos is available at www.epa.gov/asbestos/.