Massachusetts Department of Environmental Conservation Issues Fines for Illegal Asbestos Removal at Southborough Renovation Site
State environmental agencies investigate and enforce regulations regarding the removal of asbestos-containing debris at renovation and demolition sites. In this Massachusetts case, an out of state company hired to remove asbestos at a Southborough work site incurred significant fines for asbestos removal violations.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, please complete the form on this page to obtain more information from our lawyers regarding your legal rights to seek compensation for your illness.
In February 2010, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) announced it had assessed a penalty of $54,937 against an Aiken, SC company for multiple asbestos removal and disposal violations. The company had been hired to remove asbestos at the site of a former ice cream manufacturing plant in Southborough, MA.
The investigation began in 2008 after the Southborough Fire Department responded to an electrical explosion at the site. The Fire Department discovered that asbestos was being improperly removed, and filed a report with MassDEP.
The MassDEP Investigation
After receiving the Fire Department report, MassDEP investigators visited the site, where they discovered the plant was undergoing extensive interior demolition. The investigators also discovered that asbestos-containing materials (ACM), including insulation materials, were being removed dry, without any work area containment or air filtration system in place. The investigators also discovered ACM debris throughout the building and in dumpsters.
The company was cited for a number of violations, including:
Exposed Asbestos Debris Creates Public Health Risk
When asbestos-contaminated dusts are released into the environment, all those who live or work in the area where an abatement, renovation or demolition project is taking place are at serious risk to develop an asbestos-related illness many decades after their exposure.
Microscopic asbestos fibers have sharp, jagged edges which cause them to attach to lung tissue. Over a period of 30-40 or more years or more (known as “latency periods”), the fibers can cause lung tissue to scar, which can cause a number of chronic lung diseases to develop. For other asbestos patients, the results of their exposure are more tragic if the asbestos-scarred lungs begin to produce the abnormal cells which cause mesothelioma or asbestos lung cancer tumors to form.
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.
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