Court Pardons Man For Dumping Asbestos

Article Added January 20th, 2006 - Print This Story - Bookmark This Story

A man accused of incorrect disposal of asbestos in 2001 was found not guilty on January 11, 2006. It was decided he did not know that dumping the construction materials was a danger.

Salt Lake City federal jury found Alan Young not guilty of two counts of Clean Air Act violations from a 2001 indictment. The indictment stated that Young, working for his son’s company Merrick Young, Inc., directed the excavation and disposal of water pipes containing asbestos without adhering to work practice standards to control the emission of asbestos.

The accusations began last year when a city worker discovered crushed asbestos material buried at the work site. The worker notified the EPA, which moved in to clean and dispose of the material. The verdict given seemed to be a reflection of the fact that Young did not know the pipes contained asbestos, so was without blame. The verdict also absolves him and the company of any kind of responsibility in the disposal. The verdict did not take away, however, the financial strain, the ensuing business problems or the damage done to his family life. Young was originally offered a plea bargain three days into the case, but rejected it to prove his innocence. He did so, but at a very high cost.

Article Added January 20th, 2006 - Print This Story - Bookmark This Story