Contractor Hit With Asbestos Violations

Article Added September 14th, 2006 - Print This Story - Bookmark This Story

A Kentucky contractor has been issued two violations due to illegal asbestos dumping. The asbestos most likely was removed from a nearby school and dumped in a local landfill.

Asbestos was found in a Warren County landfill after roof shingles from a nearby school were illegally dumped there. Alvaton Elementary School was undergoing renovations contracted to Bluegrass Environmental at the time that the asbestos was removed. The company has been issued two notices of violation regarding the illegal dumping of the hazardous material. Asbestos has to be removed and disposed of by a contained method, which ensures that the public will not be exposed to asbestos.

Asbestos was often used in old buildings as a form of insulation, and is normally not harmful. When the material is broken up, often times during renovations or demolition, the material breaks into airborne fibers. When the fibers are breathed in, they become stuck in the lining of the lung, which kills the tissue. The result is a form of lunch cancer called mesothelioma, which is often time fatal at the time of detection. While asbestos is illegal in new use, the material can often be found in imported car parts and old insulation.

Article Added September 14th, 2006 - Print This Story - Bookmark This Story