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For many who live and work around the San Pedro Creek in downtown San Antonio, there has been a light, intermittent flurry of white particles falling through the air in recent days.
Mike Pacheco is general manager of Centro San Antonio, a nonprofit responsible for providing cleaning and safety services to the area.
“Most of the stuff I’ve seen like that downtown is from construction sites when they’re working with the foam boards. That’s insulation in buildings,” Pacheco said.
Pacheco was able to grab a handful of the white particles.
“Definitely packing foam or foam boards from construction,” he said.
He added that because it’s so lightweight, his downtown crews have difficulty sweeping it up.
There are a few major construction sites in the immediate area, including the Continental Block development.
The new building project, owned by developer Weston Urban, sits atop the old Continental Hotel. A representative from Weston Urban did not respond to a request for comment.
There are also other construction sites nearby for the new University of Texas at San Antonio business school and another large residential project near Main Plaza.
Jay Alkire, who supervised construction of several large buildings in the downtown area during his career, was skeptical that the construction crews would allow much debris to escape from a building project but couldn’t be sure.
He did say when foam insulation boards are being cut to fit for new construction, or old material is being removed, it “goes all over the place.”
If this material is a byproduct of Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS) installation—a common construction method—it could affect the environment and public health.
“Polystyrene can break down and can both litter and create an eyesore in our parks and rivers, but ... when they're small [the particles] can be mistaken by wildlife for food, and that can cause, serious harm to an animal, a bird a fish, or a turtle,” said Luke Metzger, the executive director Environment Texas.
Experts say breathing in fine foam particles can lead to problems for people with preexisting conditions, like asthma. Workers at construction sites have the highest risk, but people living nearby can also be vulnerable.
It is recommended that area residents close their windows and protect their air conditioners during active construction.
