The Torrance Main Post Office has partially reopened to the public after about three months of remediation work to remove asbestos from the facility.
The location, 2510 Monterey St., first closed on July 26 and partially reopened on Wednesday, November 12.
It was determined that while no air ducts or “human occupied” areas contained asbestos-containing materials, all property within the facility, including all mail and packages, was contaminated and required disposal.
“Out of an abundance of caution, the United States Postal Inspection Service is monitoring the collection and respectful disposal of the contaminated mail and packages,” said an Aug. 18 press release from Torrance. “While we recognize the importance of these items to our customers, these steps are being taken in accordance with federal, state and local OSHA and EPA regulations.”
USPS could not confirm how long asbestos had been present at the facility, but said no effects on employee health had been reported.
“Following the temporary closure of the Torrance Main Post Office due to asbestos, USPS initiated a comprehensive environmental cleanup process,” said USPS spokeswoman Natashi Garvins. “Although specific data on the amount of asbestos discovered is not available, all materials and items deemed ‘contaminated’ were safely removed from the facility.”
The partially reopened facility is currently offering limited services, including mailbox access, mail storage services and caller services. All retail services remain temporarily unavailable as the location awaits the installation of new equipment necessary to process transactions. However, customers can still post mail.
“We appreciate our customers’ continued patience and support,” Garvins said, “as we work to resume full service to the community.”
The following nearby locations may provide retail services to Torrance residents:
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