Industry Pulse: What we Learned at EIA

Four women are seated behind a blue table next to a fifth woman standing behind a podium. One of the seated women is holding a microphone and gesturing as she speaks.

The team attended the Environmental Information Association Conference in San Diego earlier this month.

Co-founder & CEO Danaya Wilson sat on the Women’s Committee Panel, presenting with a group of peers on their unique challenges and experiences in the industry. The women on the panel all represented very different backgrounds and work paths, but the struggles and willingness to pivot to create change and grow rang true for all.

Our own Michael Benedetto gave an OSHA Silica Awareness presentation to an audience of 80. Attendees earned a one-year certification in Silica Awareness, meeting OSHA – CR 926.1153 requirements.

A man standing next to a large screen and a podium is pictured holding a microphone and gesturing as he gives a lecture at EIA.

We also got to hear from other experts on the state and future of the environmental industry. Our biggest takeaway? Just how pervasive asbestos contamination remains.

  • Roughly 630,000 miles of asbestos cement lines are still in place in the U.S.
  • Some homes supplied by asbestos cement lines have counts as high as two billion fibers per liter (it is unknown if this is the result of the pipes).
  • Commercial buildings in the U.S. are an average of 54 years old, while residential buildings average 40 years.
  • Asbestos is a critical issue to manage before renovating, repairing, or demolishing this aging infrastructure.

Contrary to the expectation that the asbestos training and abatement industry would be in significant decline now, 46 years after initial U.S. regulation, data indicates otherwise. Experts estimate that this industry will continue to be vital and relevant for at least another 50 years.

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