Asbestos Contamination Is a Federal Offense

Keep in mind that millions of homes in the United States still contain asbestos insulation, along with countless warehouses, schools, office buildings and other structures. The Environmental Protection Agency believes that about 35 million homes in America contain Zonolite-brand insulation alone. Now consider what would happen if all that asbestos were released into the environment as those homes and buildings are demolished.

If you can imagine how much harm that could cause, you realize why federal attorneys stepped in to prosecute a family-owned asbestos abatement business in central New York state for improper disposal of asbestos.

Federal prosecutors say someone working for the Mancuso family took asbestos insulation and other asbestos-laden items, including an old water heater, that had been removed from homes under renovation and dumped them in the woods. Federal environmental law has strict guidelines for the disposal of asbestos so that it is not released into the environment. Exposure to asbestos causes mesothelioma, a deadly lung cancer; asbestosis; and other diseases.

The fact that U.S. attorneys became involved in a local case of improperly dumping construction materials shows that the government takes asbestos disposal seriously.

The Utica Observer-Dispatch reports that one member of the family, who faces 5 years in fedral prison and a fine up to $250,000, “agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in a case in which his two brothers and his father now face federal charges.” The Mancusos also worked asbestos abatement jobs in schools, medical centers, and other buildings.

If the allegations are true, they are inexplicable. At a time when businesses are struggling and jobs are hard to find, the asbestos abatement business is growing and promises to be a secure way to make a living for many years to come. And, of course, asbestos abatement contractors are licensed in their states and must follow strict federal guidelines. They also must keep meticulous records of how all asbestos is disposed, which is something else the Mancusos allegedly failed to do.

Barbara O’Brien
July 7, 2009

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