The importance of partnering with a licensed asbestos removal service such as Banner Environmental Services is continuously played out in reports across the media. Several times a year a company is hit with hefty fines and headlines cross newspapers stating several asbestos violations have been found and that the proper procedures were not followed. Most recently in Brookline, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) penalized a general contractor $98,150 for numerous asbestos violations found at a residential renovation project.
A complaint was filed in September 2016 to the Brookline Board of Health, which had issued a stop-work order earlier that day. MassDEP found evidence during the initial inspection of possible asbestos-containing debris and materials scattered outside the property that was undergoing renovation and demolition work. During the inspection, MassDEP obtained samples and through testing found and confirmed that dry, friable asbestos-containing cement shingles had been removed from more than half the exterior surface of the home, portions of which were in an open-top dumpster, and scattered inside the residence and outside on the ground throughout the property.
The developer was found to be in violation of several other offenses related to the mishandling of asbestos material, including pipe and duct work. MassDEP reports that the developer failed to complete the required asbestos survey. “Had it been completed, it would have indicated the wide prevalence of asbestos-containing materials present at the site,” said Eric Worrall, director of MassDEP’s Northeast Regional office in Wilmington. “Dry, friable asbestos is a serious public health risk that is not acceptable because the fibers can more readily become airborne and are known to pose a danger when inhaled.”
To read more, check out this article in The Valley Patriot. To learn more about Banner Environmental Services or to schedule a free estimate for your upcoming project, click here.
Last month, Massachusetts’ Attorney General Maura Healy announce a new initiative to help educate and protect children, families, and workers from the dangers of asbestos. The initiative, Healthy Buildings, Healthy Air, will bring together state agencies and school districts to ensure safe practices are upheld for the handling and removal of asbestos. It will also focus on educating those with the greatest risks caused by asbestos, specifically children, the elderly, and low-income families.
