ASBESTOS SHINGLES MASSACHUSETTS WASTE

MassDEP urges the hiring of an asbestos abatement contractor when replacing outdoor asbestos building shingles

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) recommends that building owners consider hiring a licensed asbestos abatement contractor to remove outdoor asbestos shingles and other asbestos-related waste during renovation and demolition projects.

Guidelines on disposing asbestos shingles in Massachusetts.

August 2, 2010 –The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) created and enforces the state’s asbestos- and waste-handling guidelines designed to protect the public’s health and the environment against improper waste disposal.

Guidelines include safe handling practices for asbestos-based construction materials (i.e., outdoor asbestos shingles) that are to be removed during renovation or demolition projects, which can release toxic asbestos fibers into the air.

Asbestos shingles in Massachusetts

Asbestos cement shingles are often found on the exterior of residential homes and other buildings constructed before 1980. Asbestos shingles pose health risks only if they are broken, damaged or sanded, or they are being physically replaced during a renovation project.

Due to a lack of training and appropriate equipment, homeowners and other building owners who attempt to remove asbestos cement shingles often fail to meet MassDEP’s regulations, says the state agency. Consulting asbestos abatement companies is the recommended approach.

Failing to meet MassDEP’s asbestos regulations can result in increased health risks, as well as MassDEP enforcement actions that may include civil penalties and mandated cleanup work by a licensed asbestos contractor.

Hire a contractor to remove asbestos shingles

MassDEP recommends that building owners consider hiring a licensed asbestos contractor to remove asbestos shingles and other asbestos-related building material waste.

The Division of Occupational Safety (DOS) within the Massachusetts Department of Labor licenses asbestos contractors who can be retained by building owners to remove asbestos cement shingles and other waste.

Given the potential hazards to public health and financial risk posed by improper asbestos waste removal, building owners and managers should carefully consider hiring a licensed asbestos contractor to remove asbestos cement shingles from home and public building exteriors.

Weitz & Luxenberg – Asbestos-injury law firm

If you were employed in the construction industry 25 years ago and you have been diagnosed with asbestosis or mesothelioma, you have the legal right to seek financial compensation by filing a mesothelioma cancer claim.

Weitz & Luxenberg has successfully represented thousands of asbestos-injured workers against employers who failed to provide safety equipment, and product manufacturers who neglected to warn consumers of the health hazards associated with their products.

For a free case review, please contact Weitz & Luxenberg through the communication form at left. The firm has long been recognized for obtaining record-setting verdicts and settlements in asbestos-injury cases.