Business Notes HAZARDS

"Don't panic," advised John Moore, assistant administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. With that, he issued a report that was, to say the least, troublesome. Its findings: an estimated 20% of the 3.6 million public and commercial buildings in the U.S. contain asbestos.

If Moore's keep-calm advice seemed odd given those figures, EPA's strategy for removing or sealing the asbestos appeared even more so. Citing limited resources to dispose of the material and the need to deal first with school buildings, the agency recommended a period of evaluation before the nation launches a cleanup that could cost $51 billion. Democratic Representative James Florio of New Jersey said EPA is "sweeping this alarming problem under the rug."