Nashua, New Hampshire College Professor Enters Guilty Plea in Asbestos Removal and Disposal Case

On January 22, 2010, The Keene Sentinel reported on the investigation and outcome of a case involving a well-respected professor at New Hampshire's Keene State College that had been charged with the illegal disposal of asbestos waste.

Exposure to the toxic mineral is known to cause serious asbestos diseases, including mesothelioma cancer, asbestos-related lung cancer and asbestosis.

A Spanish language professor at Keene State College accepted a guilty plea for her role in the illegal disposal of asbestos-containing materials (ACM) and debris at a campus trash bin.

The 64-year old woman was ordered to pay a $4,000 fine to the state and an additional fine of $4,500 to the college. She was also sentenced to one year in prison, but will only serve nine days of that sentence. Her agreement to accept the brief prison term was part of her plea agreement with the state.

The woman, who has strong ties to the community and considerable long-term involvement in a number of charitable endeavors, chose to serve her 9-day sentence during three consecutive weekends, which allowed the violations to be classified as a misdemeanor instead of a felony.  This sentencing structure will allow her to continue her extensive charity work.

Illegal Asbestos Disposal
The investigation that led to the eventual guilty plea and resolution of the case came about after the woman admitted she had disposed of asbestos-containing materials (ACM) and waste from renovation work performed at her home.

According to admissions made by both the woman and the contractor she had hired to perform the renovation work, while the contractor removed the ACM from her property, the woman actually disposed of the toxic materials.

The contractor also plead guilty to violating state asbestos control and management laws and was fined $3,000.

Exposure to Asbestos Dusts and Fibers Can Lead to Devastating Illnesses
Those that live, work or attend classes in the area where the ACM was left were placed at risk for exposure to dangerous asbestos dusts.

When airborne asbestos fibers are inhaled, they are not expelled like other airborne irritants by coughing or sneezing. Instead, the tiny asbestos fibers remain in the lungs for decades, where they can cause diseases to develop 40 or more years later.

This long time frame between first exposure and when symptoms of an asbestos disease develop (known as “asbestos latency periods”) mean that those who may have been exposed to asbestos because of this incident as college students face the risk of developing an asbestos disease when they reach their 50s.

Asbestos fibers in the lungs causes healthy lung tissue to scar, which can lead to chronic conditions such as pleural plaques disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asbestosis. In patients where asbestos triggers the lungs to produce abnormal cells, it is likely that mesothelioma or lung cancer tumors can develop.

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.