Contaminated insulation threatens the condition of the Světovar building in Plzeň

Plzeň - Contaminated tar insulation in the walls and roof structures poses a threat to the cultural factory and archive building in the former Světovar brewery in Plzeň. The removal of the carcinogenic substance will cost tens of millions, and the city is waiting for a precise estimate while figuring out the next steps. Work on the building has already been restricted by health authorities. The issue of Světovar will be addressed by councilors next week, said Pavel Šindelář, the technical deputy mayor (ODS), to ČTK today. The problem was discovered recently after demolition work was carried out.
    "The most significant issue is the contaminated thermal insulation. The project assumed the presence of a substance called corkolit, but upon exposing the walls, it was discovered that it is actually corkodehet, which is corkolit mixed with tar," he stated.
    According to assessments available to the city, the carcinogens are present in such quantities that the insulation in the century-old building cannot remain. The city is therefore waiting for documentation from the designer, who will provide a cost estimate for the removal. The contractor has estimated the cost to be nearly 50 million CZK. The construction cost, however, is 246 million CZK.
    According to information from ČTK, health inspectors have also commented on the matter and have restricted access to the building. "We cannot allow continued demolition work," said Oldřich Sojka from the Regional Hygiene Station to ČTK today. Strict regulations now apply on the construction site, and a controlled zone has been established. The removal of the insulation will only be possible in a specially designed negative pressure tent using protective equipment, in a special regime. The material must be treated as hazardous waste. The contractor, the Světovar Association, which consists of POHL, BAK construction company, and CGM CZECH, has conducted laboratory tests at its own expense.
    The Světovar case will be reviewed by councilors next Thursday, who will decide whether to release the necessary funds for remediation. According to Šindelář, there are 63 million CZK available for this purpose. "I insist that this money should only be used if there is a grant for Světovar. Without it, the project is very poorly financeable," said Šindelář. Světovar has received a grant of 100 million, but the city must definitively state by September whether it will proceed with the project. If so, the factory and archive must be completed by September 2015.
    The potential negligence of the designers will also be addressed; the city has an expert opinion stating that the designer, the Helika design office, should have anticipated that the insulation could be contaminated. Helika rejects responsibility and possesses an opinion stating that the occurrence of corkodehet is anomalous and could not have been foreseen. The city is currently negotiating with Helika, and the preparation of a general expert report is on the table.
    Regarding Světovar, the option of preserving the building is also under consideration; however, in this scenario, the insulation must not remain in the building. Given the health authorities' stance, the city is currently assessing how dangerous the area may be to its surroundings.
    Since the area will not open on the originally scheduled date of February 28, 2015, part of the planned program for Plzeň as a city of culture will be moved to the depot area on Cukrovarská Street, for which the council has approved five million for renovations. The issue surrounding Světovar is also complicating the city’s efforts to obtain the Melina Mercouri Prize, which entails 1.5 million euros, and it also affects the adjacent development area of Světovar that the city is offering to developers.