EPA Settles Asbestos Violation Cases with Schools in Annapolis, MD and Three Other Locations

On July 2, 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it had settled asbestos reporting cases with four Maryland schools. The private schools, which are located in Annapolis, Glen Arm, Preston and Monkton, MD were each charged with regulatory violations of the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA).

All four schools were cited for:

Failing to prepare and submit an asbestos management plan;

Failing to include all school buildings in the management plan;

Failing to conduct reinspections of all friable and nonfriable asbestos every three years; and

Failing to provide annual notification of the management plan to parents, teachers, and employee organizations.

The four schools are now in compliance with AHERA requirements. Since the costs for each of the schools to come into compliance were higher than the assessed fines, the four schools were not required to pay any additional penalties to the EPA.

Even limited exposure to asbestos is known to cause serious illnesses such as mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer or asbestosis.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an asbestos illness, contact our lawyers today for a free review of your case. A Weitz & Luxenberg representative will contact you as soon as possible.