Middlesex County, NJ Sponsoring Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Day: Collections to Include Asbestos Debris

The program conducted by the Middlesex County, NJ Division of Solid Waste Management will allow area residents to bring potentially hazardous chemicals for proper disposal. The approved materials to be collected include asbestos, a dangerous mineral that is known to cause serious illnesses including mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer and asbestosis.

If your family is facing a loved one’s diagnosis with an asbestos-related disease, please complete the form on this page to obtain important information from our asbestos attorneys about your legal rights to seek compensation from the companies responsible for your loved one’s illness.

The Middlesex County Division of Solid Waste Management announced they will be holding a Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Day on Sunday, March 21, 2010. The event, which will be held at the Middlesex County College, will allow residents an opportunity to dispose of potentially hazardous materials stored in their homes, garages, storage sheds or other areas on their property.

The County’s announcement has indicated that materials they will accept include pesticides/herbicides, flammable liquids, solvents, pool chemicals, used motor oil, oil filters, paints, batteries, antifreeze, propane tanks, and fluorescent light bulbs.

Asbestos Debris Also Being Accepted
The County’s announcement of acceptable materials also includes asbestos, a dangerous carcinogen (cancer-causing substance). The County has indicated that Middlesex County residents wishing to dispose of asbestos-containing materials (ACM) and debris must call to pre-register, and limits the amount of ACM debris a resident can bring for disposal at no more than 500 pounds.

Regulations for the Removal and Disposal of ACM
Federal regulations, as well as laws enforced by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) require that a number of rules be followed regarding renovation or demolition projects where ACM materials are present.

NJDEP regulations regarding the removal and disposal of ACM can be found here.

Failure to follow these regulations can put property owners, the individuals performing the work, and even those who live or work in the area where improper asbestos removal takes place at risk to develop asbestos disease many decades after they were exposed.

Asbestos Health Risks
When asbestos materials are incorrectly and improperly removed, microscopic asbestos fibers are released into the air. When these tiny fibers are inhaled, they are not easily expelled by coughing or sneezing like other airborne irritants we breathe in.

Asbestos is even more dangerous than other dangerous substances we inhale, as countless medical and scientific studies of asbestos disease have shown that even individuals that have had extremely limited exposure to asbestos have developed serious diseases caused by their brief exposure to airborne asbestos dusts.

Asbestos fibers have very sharp, jagged edges which cause them to attach and remain in the lungs. Over a period of 30-40 or more years (known as “asbestos latency periods”), the asbestos will cause lung tissue to scar. Many decades later, the effects of asbestos exposure can result in serious chronic breathing disorders, including pleural plaques disease, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asbestosis.

In more serious cases, the asbestos-scarred lungs will begin to produce abnormal cells. When these abnormal cells reproduce and cluster, they eventually form the tumors that cause asbestos lung cancer and mesothelioma cancer.

How Weitz & Luxenberg Can Help
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, we may be able to help you to seek justice for your illness and file a lawsuit on your behalf.

Please complete the form on this page for a free and confidential review of your potential asbestos lawsuit or request a free copy of our asbestos sourcebook. A Weitz & Luxenberg representative will contact you as soon as possible.