Asbestos News Roundup: 12.15.09

December 15th, 2009. By LucyC

A roundup of recent asbestos-related news and information that you should be aware of.

Asbestos Hot Spots

Martinsburg, WV: A former woolen mill repurposed into a community college and county offices was to be closed on December 11 to remove asbestos discovered adjacent to a skylight in the central atrium. The former woolen mill was built in the early 1900s and operated until 1953, then abandoned until repurposed in the 1980s as an outlet mall, a development project which fell through. (Mesotheliomaweb.org) 

Yakima WA: Officials have shut down part of the Tourist Motel, a building with a troubled history, following reports that asbestos and mold were present in the building. In total six sets of tenants were moved from the motel.  (YakimaHerald.com)

Asbestos Fines

St. Louis, MO: Former president and chief of the Northeast Ambulance and Fire Protection District, Joseph L. Washington, has pled guilty to charges of federal clean air violations. Washington was fired in early December, from his position as fire chief, after he admitted that while president of the district’s board, he illegally removed asbestos from the district’s offices in Beverly Hills. (STLToday.com) 

Amarillo, TX: Jack R. Coiner, an Amarillo business owner, has pled guilty to a federal charge of negligently releasing asbestos into the air. He faces up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine.

Coiner, the owner of Asbestos Maintenance Services Inc., reportedly instructed two employees to store asbestos, which was properly sealed inside bags and barrels, at two locations, with a plan to dispose of them at a designated landfill. However, that did not happen immediately, and over time, some of the bags and barrels weathered or eroded, releasing asbestos into the air. (Amarillo.com)

Asbestos in Schools

Brooklyn, NY:  The city Department of Education (DOE) is in trouble for exposing students and staff at LaFayette High School to asbestos earlier this month. Contractors hired by the DOE were removing pipes in Lafayette’s basement on the evening of December 3^rd, and they also removed asbestos at that time. The asbestos debris was moved through the basement, but the following morning a custodian discovered the debris. However, the School Construction Authority officials didn’t arrive until mid-afternoon. During this time, the school day proceeded as normal, with students having lunch in the cafeteria, which is located in the basement. 

According to media reports, a statement was issued by the DOE noting, “Indoor air quality tests indicate that Lafayette High School is safe, and classes are proceeding as scheduled. We’re sending a letter to families in the Lafayette community to explain why the SAT test was cancelled and to inform them of the new test date. We are reviewing last week’s incident to ensure that our contractors are in full compliance with regulations, and we will take disciplinary action as needed.” (YourNabe.com)

Tags: Asbestos, Asbestos Mesothelioma

This was posted on Tuesday, December 15th, 2009 at 6:22 pm and is filed under Asbestos Mesothelioma . Feel free to respond, or trackback. Read our comments policy.