SF Building Owner Faces Asbestos Charges

A building owner in Tracy, near Hayward, CA, was recently convicted by a federal jury of illegally tearing down a building contaminated with asbestos.

Asbestos is a harmful carcinogen that can cause life-threatening illnesses, such as mesothelioma, to anyone exposed.

Man Violates Clean Air Act

Wassim Mohammad Azizi, 37, has reportedly been found guilty of violating the Clean Air Act in California.

Azizi was charged after demolishing a two-story wooden building he owned that contained asbestos.

A jury found him in violation of three counts of the Clean Air Act.

Demolition Released Asbestos

The federal jury says Azizi failed to notify the Environmental Protection Agency and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District before tearing down the building.

The demolition project, which happened in late 2002 and early 2003, reportedly resulted in the release of asbestos fibers into the air.

Azizi also failed to keep the construction wet and regulate the asbestos-containing material in leak-tight containers.

(Source: SF Gate)

Have you been wrongfully exposed to asbestos? If so, please contact someone today to find out about the resources available to you.