A Massachusetts landlord has been fined by the state’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for asbestos violations.
Improper Asbestos Removal Leads to $6,000 Fine
Paul L. Holt is the landlord for a two family building in Northampton, Massachusetts, and DEP inspectors found that he violated asbestos regulations at the property and fined him $6,000.
The fine results from a July 2007 investigation conducted by the DEP that determined that Holt had removed asbestos-transite shingles and placed them in trash bags. He then took the trash bags full of intact and broken shingles to another property and disposed of them in a dumpster. Holt did not follow the proper procedures regarding asbestos.
Wrongful Asbestos Removal Puts Public at Risk
The DEP stressed the importance of being mindful to avoid asbestos violations during such projects.
“Improper removal and handling of asbestos-containing materials places tenants as well as the general public at risk,” said Michael Gorski, director of MassDEP’s Western Regional Office in Springfield. “When properly followed, the asbestos regulations provide for the protection of the public health.”
Asbestos exposure can lead to a number of deadly diseases such as malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis. According to the World Health Organization, 90,000 people die every year from asbestos-related diseases.
