Boise, Idaho Contractor Cited by EPA for Alleged Asbestos Violations; Agrees to $36,000 Fine

Asbestos abatement contracting company cited for Clean Air Act violations related to renovation project in Boise, Idaho. Those living or working near the project were put at risk for exposure to asbestos, a dangerous carcinogen known to cause serious illnesses such as mesothelioma cancer, asbestos-related lung cancer and asbestosis.

On October 1, 2009, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it had reached a settlement with a Boise, Idaho asbestos abatement and demolition contractor for alleged violations of the asbestos National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants (asbestos NESHAP) and Clean Air Act.

When an EPA investigator inspected the work site in October 2008, a number of asbestos violations were noted and documented. They included:

Failure to inform the EPA of the dates when the renovation work would take place;

Failure to keep asbestos wet during abatement;

Failure to take proper precautions when lowering asbestos materials to the floor;

Failure to prevent visible emissions to the outside air;

Failure to mark the waste disposal vehicle with specific warning signs during loading of asbestos waste; and

Failure to post proof of training for an on-site supervisor.

As a result of the documented violations, the abatement company was fined $36,000.

The EPA, as well as state and local environmental government agencies, provide oversight of NESHAP and Clean Air Act compliance at all renovation or demolition projects where asbestos-containing materials (ACM) are found to be present. The owners of both commercial and residential properties are required to follow the appropriate regulations for the removal and disposal of all asbestos materials.

Tragically, because of the decades-long latency period (the time between exposure and when symptoms of disease are first diagnosed) for asbestos disease, the workers at this job site may not develop symptoms of an illness related to their exposure for 30-40 years or more.

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