The city of Kirchheim (Esslingen district) is reacting to the results of another pollutant measurement. It is unclear what will happen next.
The Kirchheim town hall is closed again with immediate effect until further notice. The city administration announced this on Friday. The reason for this is excessive pollution from asbestos. The material is considered hazardous to health and can cause cancer.
As the town hall informs, a voluntary pollutant measurement at the end of January showed that the legally prescribed limits for asbestos in the town hall were exceeded. The administration reacted to this consistently: “I find it extremely regrettable that another closure is necessary after such a short time. However, health protection is our top priority and does not allow any compromises,” says Mayor Pascal Bader.
Asbestos in the ceiling of the foyer of the Kirchheim town hall
The town hall in the Teck-Center Kirchheim has been closed since last summer due to renovation work to improve fire protection and safety. These were actually supposed to be finished in September. However, according to the city administration, they dragged on until the end of last year “due to unforeseeable developments”: Asbestos was discovered during the repair of fire damage in the ceiling of the foyer.
In December, according to the city’s announcement, it was determined that limit values were being met as part of the pollutant measurement required by law after asbestos removal. On this basis, the town hall was reopened in January. “However, the additional measurement carried out in trial operation led to a different result,” informs the administration. That’s why the town hall will be closed again. The next steps have not yet been determined.
Events that were planned in the town hall will be relocated to alternative event spaces, as far as possible, it says. Visitors will be informed in good time about the respective change of location – via the organizers themselves, but also via the city of Kirchheim’s website. “The city administration regrets the inconvenience this may cause and asks for your understanding.”
