SEATTLE – A 130-year-old building like the Rainier Brewery in Seattle faces several threats. Fire, earthquakes and degradation come to mind, but who would have thought a bad paint job may lead to its costliest renovation?
"They found out that this building, in the paint, has PCBs at a very high levels, in areas, not the whole building," explained Heather Trim of the People For Puget Sound, who added that she loves the old building.
Environmental agencies say past owners of the building coated it with paint containing toxic PCBs. PCBs were considered a good form of protection from fire and sunlight damage back then.
Today we know they are persistent toxins linked to serious threats to human and environmental health.
We also found out the oily compound does not mix with other paints so part of it is slowly chipping and washing away and down storm drains that lead to the Duwamish River, and the rest is soaking into the masonry.
That means treating it will be extremely costly and there is even talk that the building might have to come down.
"Yeah I think it's way to early to say that," said Scott Downey, Manager of the EPA's Pesticides and Toxics Unit. "We can maybe look at it from a risk standpoint and encapsulate the PCBs and keep them from further getting into the environment."
It's been done before, like at the nearby Kelly Moore Paint Building. But there only the floor was contaminated and that was easier to cap than walls.
The owner of the building, Rainier Commons LLC., issued a statement today saying it "has been working with the EPA and other government agencies in a combined effort to find a workable, safe and feasible solution to the paint issue. The LLC is not aware of any pending action that would require the buildings to be demolished."
That's good news to tenants like custom motorcycle maker RedSoul, which was excited about moving into the building.
"Being an old historical building matches the kind of tough motorcycle image," said RedSoul co-owner Don Schumacher.
The building, which is reportedly about 130 years old, is now home to Tully's Coffee headquarters, microbreweries, artist lofts and a number of musicians.
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