Plans for Cleanup of Asbestos-Contaminated Landfill in Charlottesville, VA

In March 2009, news reports in the Charlottesville, VA area reported on plans to cleanup a landfill once owned by the city, Albemarle County and the University of Virginia. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEP) has advised the landfill is likely contaminated with medical waste and asbestos.

The landfill was closed in 1974 and abandoned. Over the years, the landfill walls began to erode, causing trash and other potentially dangerous substances to spill toward an area walking trail and creek.

A developer has since purchased the landfill property with plans to build a shopping center in the area. The developer is currently working with the DEP and Albemarle County to develop a plan to perform environmental testing to determine the levels of asbestos and other hazardous substances. Once that testing is completed, the asbestos will be removed and the landfill will be graded and sealed to prevent future erosion. Current estimates for the remediation project are estimated to cost between $1 and $3 million.

Exposure to asbestos is known to cause serious diseases such as mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer and asbestosis.

Weitz & Luxenberg is a leading plaintiffs' law firm that has represented people affected by mesothelioma for over 20 years. Men and women diagnosed with mesothelioma caused by asbestos exposure may be entitled to compensation from the companies responsible for their disease.

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