Three men were arrested today for improperly dumping asbestos tiles and other construction debris on private grounds protected by state law as part of the Green Swamp Wetlands in Florida.
According to Carrie Eleazer, Polk County Sheriff’s spokeswoman, at least 43 hefty loads of construction trash, containing asbestos, were dumped at the wetlands between July 3 and July 23 by Florida Environmental Compliance Corp. employees. The material came from old dormitories that were torn down at Florida Southern College.
Asbestos Contaminates Drinking Water Supply
The Green Swamp is home to the main source of drinking water for Hillsborough River and most Tampa Bay area residents. Immediately following the discovery of the illegal dumping, the Florida Environmental Compliance removed the trash and toxic material, properly disposed of it and is working towards restoring the wetlands area.
Charges Filed
Ronnie Lee Spears, 35, one of the three men arrested for the illegal dumping of asbestos is the company’s operations manager in Winter Haven. He is facing 43 felony counts of dumping for commercial purposes. Spears instructed his employees to dump the asbestos in an effort to save on proper disposal costs, which would have cost the company $10,540.
According to authorities, Warren Gregory Gay, 58, faces misdemeanor charges for allowing Spears to dump the debris on property he owns within the Green Swamp Wetlands. His misdemeanor charges include storage of solid waste without a permit.
The third man facing charges for the illegal dumping is 44-year-old Thomas Barnhill. Barnhill, the truck driver who hauled the trash to the site, faces three felony counts of dumping for commercial purposes.
(Source: MSNBC)
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