Asbestos Contamination Problems Prompt Investigation by the Wyoming DEQ

Owners of commercial properties near the University of Wyoming were cited for air quality standards violations after asbestos-containing debris was found at the building sites. Asbestos is known to cause several serious diseases many decades after first exposure to the dangerous mineral.

If your family is facing a loved one’s diagnosis with mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer or asbestosis, please complete the form on this page for important information from our law firm about your legal options.

On March 15, 2010, the Billings Gazette reported that two men who purchased five buildings near the University of Wyoming campus had been cited by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for violations of federal and state asbestos regulations.

The abandoned properties were sold by the University in 2009 for $1 each in the hopes that the buyers would complete the demolition and removal of the blighted properties.

While the five buildings had been demolished, the DEQ had not been able to determine how the demolition took place and where the debris was taken for disposal. However, since the DEQ determined that the abandoned buildings were contaminated with asbestos that had been used in pipe insulation, the new property owners did not follow proper regulations for the removal and disposal of asbestos-containing materials (ACM).

Asbestos Exposure Risks
Asbestos is a known carcinogen (cancer-causing substance), and the laws enforced by the DEQ and other state and federal agencies have been put in place in order to protect people from possible asbestos exposure.

Countless scientific and medical research studies on the affects of asbestos exposure have shown that even individuals with minimal asbestos exposure, virtually anyone who inhales asbestos dusts from an improperly performed asbestos abatement and removal project, faces a lifetime of risk for asbestos disease.

The potential health risks caused by asbestos exposure are due to the structure of asbestos fibers and how they affect the lungs. When microscopic asbestos fibers are inhaled, the sharp edges on the fibers cause them to attach to the lungs rather than being expelled by coughing, sneezing or blowing one’s nose.

The fibers remain in the lungs for decades (known as latency periods) where they eventually cause the lungs to scar. 30-40 or more years later, the scarring can cause chronic diseases like asbestosis, emphysema, pleural plaques disease or chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) to develop.

Tragically, for thousands of asbestos disease patients, the asbestos-scarred lungs will start to produce abnormal lung cells. These abnormal cells multiply and cluster, forming lung cancer or mesothelioma tumors.

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.