Ma homeowners fined for illegal asbestos removal

Holliston, Massachusetts â€" Two Massachusetts homeowners are facing fines for violating the Department of Environmental Protection’s asbestos regulations, after they removed asbestos roofing materials from their property. Daniel M. and Jacqueline S. Rutowicz of Holliston, Massachusetts face a penalty of $2,000 for the DEP violations. According to a DEP press release, the couple violated the asbestos regulations when they removed transite roofing materials from their residential property. The transite materials they removed contained asbestos. When DEP representatives inspected the property, they discovered that the transite materials had been removed by the roofing contractor the Rutowiczes had hired. However, they had not provided the DEP with notification of the intent to remove the transite. They had also failed follow the necessary procedures for handling, packaging, and disposing of the asbestos-containing roofing materials. The DEP representatives discovered uncontained, dry pieces of transite roofing on the ground at the Rutowicz home. After the violations had been discovered, the DEP required that the Rutowiczes hire an asbestos contractor licensed by the Massachusetts Division of Occupational Safety to properly remove, package, and dispose of the asbestos-containing roofing materials. The contractor also decontaminated the property. The DEP then negotiated a settlement with the couple, and assessed a penalty of $27,620. All but $2,000 was suspended, as long as the Rutowiczes do not repeat the violation within the next year. According to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s regulations for handling asbestos-containing materials, all such materials must undergo wet removal in a manner that reduces the possibility of breakage of the materials. Wet removal must be carried out to reduce the creation and dispersion of harmful asbestos dust. Asbestos waste must also be sealed in leak-tight containers while still wet, and then labeled with an appropriate warning. Martin Suuberg, director of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Central Regional Office in Worcester, said “Homeowners and contractors alike must recognize that improper removal and handling of asbestos is a serious matter, which potentially exposes their families, workers and neighbors to a known carcinogen.” “Failure to remove asbestos-containing materials in compliance with the regulations inevitably results in a higher financial burden in terms of escalated cleanup, decontamination, and monitoring costs, as well as significant penalty exposure.” There are regulations controlling the removal and disposal of asbestos-containing waste in most states. Homeowners can contact their state environmental office for details, and should also be advised that some asbestos-containing materials, including transite, are not labeled explicitly as containing asbestos. (Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News)