Case Studies

Boca Raton, FL

The Issue: Anthrax Contamination

The Solution: Facility Decontamination with ClO₂ Gas

Once all public buildings contaminated with anthrax spores during the 2001 attacks had been effectively treated and reopened, Sabre turned its attention to the only private facility that was closed due to the presence of a tainted letter. The American Media Incorporated (AMI) Building in Boca Raton, Fl was evacuated and quarantined by the State of Florida in early October of 2001 after it was determined that anthrax spores present in a letter opened inside the three-story, 750,000 ft³ building had led to the death of one employee and the hospitalization of another.

The AMI building owner contracted with Sabre in early 2004 to fumigate the facility with ClO₂ gas and demonstrate to the satisfaction of all involved regulatory authorities that the building was again safe for re-occupancy following treatment. Before initiating fumigation preparations, Sabre assembled a Technical Working Group (TWG) comprised of recognized governmental experts to collaborate extensively on the project and ensure acceptance by the regulatory community of all data generated during the project.

Several important technical advances were made by Sabre during performance of the AMI project. Most importantly, extensive testing done prior to building fumigation demonstrated that ClO₂ gas was equally effective in treating anthrax contamination on porous surfaces as it was on non-porous surfaces.

This test work led USEPA to approve gaseous ClO₂ for use against anthrax spores on porous materials, thereby paving the way for the AMI building to be fumigated with all of its contents left in place, with the exception of paper items and personal effects, which were removed prior to fumigation. No other treatment chemical, liquid or gas, has ever been approved for use against anthrax spores on porous materials.

Sabre also used the AMI project to demonstrate that: 1.) the cost of performing a large-scale ClO₂ fumigation operation could be made economical in relation to the value of the structure being treated; and 2.) the time frame required to complete a large-scale structural ClO₂ fumigation could be compressed from a period of more than a year to a period of only seven months. Had the RAP, SAP, HASP, ERP and AAMP Sabre prepared for the AMI project been developed and approved in advance, the project time line could have been further reduced to a period of only weeks.

The AMI building was fumigated successfully by Sabre in July of 2004. Despite extensive post-treatment environmental sampling, no traces of anthrax could be identified anywhere within the facility on porous surfaces, nonporous surfaces or in the air following completion of the operation.