Idaho Asbestos Contractor Agrees to pay $36,000 to resolve Clean Air Act Violations
Thursday, October 1st, 2009.
Precision Demolition and Abatement, LLC., (Precision) an asbestos abatement and demolition contractor in Boise, Idaho has agreed to pay a $36,000 penalty to settle with EPA for alleged violations of the asbestos National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants (asbestos NESHAP), under the Clean Air Act.
In October 2008, EPA conducted an asbestos compliance inspection of a renovation site located at 4806 Emerald Street in Boise, Idaho. The result of the inspections found several violations of the asbestos NESHAP. The violations included failure to:
- Inform EPA of the dates when renovation work would take place at the building site;
- Keep asbestos adequately wet;
- Carefully lower asbestos to the floor;
- Prevent visible emissions to the outside air;
- Mark the waste disposal vehicle with specific warning signs during loading of asbestos waste; and
- Post proof of training for an on-site supervisor.
According to Edward Kowalski, Director of the Office of Compliance and Enforcement in Seattle, the intent of the regulations is to protect the public and prevent the release of asbestos fibers during renovations and demolitions.
“We hope that building owners, developers and contractors learn from this situation,” said EPA’s Kowalski. “When you are tearing down or renovating a structure that has asbestos, it is important to notify the proper authorities and follow the asbestos regulations.”
Federal regulations require a thorough inspection of a facility for the presence of asbestos prior to any demolition or renovation activity, as well as advance notice to EPA or the state or local agency that administers the asbestos NESHAP program. If a threshold amount of asbestos is found, contractors are required to remove and dispose of the material according to certain requirements such as using water to wet the asbestos during removal, carefully handling, bagging and labeling of wastes, and properly disposing of them at permitted landfills.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring fiber which was commonly used in building materials prior to the 1980s due to its fire resistant properties. Exposure to asbestos can lead to respiratory diseases including asbestosis and lung cancer. Owners and operators of a demolition or renovation activity are legally required to remove, handle and dispose of asbestos according to federal regulations.
« Mesothelioma News Main Page.
Most Recent in
Asbestos Abatement
- 12/18/09 - Asbestos and Other Hazards Removed from Walpole, Mass. Superfund Site
- 11/30/09 - US Labor Department’s OSHA proposes $484,000 in penalties against Cambria Contracting Inc. for asbestos hazards at Buffalo, NY, jobsite
- 10/09/09 - Vermont Flooring Contractor Faces Fine for Clean Air Violations
- 10/01/09 - Idaho Asbestos Contractor Agrees to pay $36,000 to resolve Clean Air Act Violations
- 09/08/09 - Alaska Asbestos Contractor Agrees to pay nearly $20,000 to resolve Clean Air Act Violations
Most Recent in
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- 12/18/09 - Asbestos and Other Hazards Removed from Walpole, Mass. Superfund Site
- 12/12/09 - Statement of Lisa P. Jackson Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Legislative Hearing on the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works December 2, 2009
- 12/08/09 - U.S. EPA Issues California Toxic Release Data, Lead and Ammonia Among Most Common
- 10/09/09 - Vermont Flooring Contractor Faces Fine for Clean Air Violations
- 10/01/09 - Idaho Asbestos Contractor Agrees to pay $36,000 to resolve Clean Air Act Violations
Most Recent in
Organizations
- 06/25/10 - ADAO Applauds Assembly Committee on Natural Resources for Passing Resolution to Repeal the Designation of Asbestos Laden Serpentine as the California State Rock
- 06/18/10 - Senator Max Baucus Honored by Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation
- 03/26/10 - ADAO Praises Senate for Passage of Sixth Annual Resolution that Establishes “National Asbestos Awareness Week”
- 03/15/10 - New NCCN Guidelines™ for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Presented at Annual Conference
- 02/24/10 - Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation Funds Eight New Research Projects to Advance Critically-Needed Mesothelioma Treatments
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
