Additional waste that may possibly contain asbestos has been dumped at a second location in Shelbyville, Tennessee. The site is located on Warners Bridge Road. The owner of the property, Steve F. Smith, claims that his actions are legal but environmental officials are concerned that the waste may contain asbestos.
Asbestos-containing materials have been known to cause a number of asbestos-related diseases that in many cases don’t show up for twenty to fifty years. Finding effective treatment options for individuals who develop mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis is vey difficult by the time diagnosis occurs. In many cases such diseases are already in advanced stages of development by the time the discovery is made.
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation issued a notice of violation to Smith for “illegal disposal of solid waste.â€
Asbestos is required by law to be disposed of in the proper manner in order to prevent asbestos exposure. The substance was often used in building materials during the early twentieth century. Use of asbestos did not become regulated by the government until the 1970’s.
According to officials an additional notice will be issued to another violator in the near future.
