Air monitors and an Illinois Environmental Protection Agency inspector are on-site at Lincoln School to minimize risks from asbestos as the building is torn down.

Asbestos, heavily used in the past for insulation purposes, can be dangerous if fibers become airborne and are inhaled. Some members of the public have raised concerns about whether asbestos in the 118-year-old Lincoln School on 7th Avenue in Rock Island, currently being demolished, was being properly handled.

"We have an inspector on site and, generally, the demolition is being handled properly," said IEPA spokeswoman Maggie Carson. "

She said some "minor recommendations" have been made to American Demolition Corp., the contractor performing the demolition about how the removed asbestos was being transported. The recommendations were not related to anything that was a "cause for concern for public health," Ms. Carson added.

In addition to the IEPA inspector on-site this week, the city of Rock Island also has an inspector at the site and the contractor has an environmental engineer on-site to oversee the work.

Air monitors are in place at the school to detect if any asbestos becomes airborne, with material removed from the site hosed down to prevent that from happening. New signs also warn the public that asbestos is being removed from the building.