During Margate Commission public comment of Sept 17: I’m Abe Alfaro, a resident of Margate. I’m here to talk about contractors violating codes on dust and plastic contaminants.
Although I’m a physician, scientist, and researcher, six months ago, I knew nothing about dust, plastic contaminants, and the cause of cancer.
What I have since learned is that as a result of my personal property being contaminated with sawdust from an adjacent site and also observing other sites where the sawdust is going into the air.
This is carcinogenic cancer-causing especially to the nose, mouth and throat.
That’s new to me. And as a result, I did not let my grandchildren or family into the pool the entire summer.
Did not let them go in the backyard, which is filled with the sawdust.
I’ve read the codes for the Margate City control of dust and plastic contaminants. It’s clear. So, what’s the problem?
The problem is that the contractors and the subcontractors either don’t know the codes or it doesn’t matter to them.
They’re willing to violate the codes and risk a fine which is minuscule compared to what they’re earning in building that house.
The codes need to be slightly modified in my opinion only changing words like contractor shall do this this and this to the contractor must do this this and this.
It gives the contractor leeway in a few other areas and that can be addressed easily.
The next thing is how do we get the contractors to conform to the codes?
We only have one and a half, one full-time code enforcer and a part-time code enforcer. I think they’re overwhelmed with a number of responsibilities.
Furthermore, in order to give the contractor a fine, they must witness the violation, the sawdust being cut and coming off of the construction site.
It’s not enough for me or you to take a video and go to court.
And then what happens is, as one of the contra the via code enforcers said to me, I’m going to have to go to court. Well, that’s problematic because most of the construction sites do not have the owner or the future owner of the property.
Yes, my yard, my car was filled with sawdust. Bottom line: this is an issue that needs to be addressed, especially because this is cancer causing.
We’re not going to see the cancer in our lifetime hopefully. But our children, our grandchildren, they are the ones who are going to get the cancer from the sawdust and the pollutants.
Here Here!!