Ohio Building Owner Illegally Disposed of Asbestos Products

A federal jury has indicted a building company and its owner on charges of improper asbestos abatement after products containing the dangerous fiber were found illegally disposed of.

According to the Lorain Chronicle-Telegram, Lorne J. Elbert Jr. and his company - Elbert Building Co. Inc. – were indicted on EPA charges of illegally removing asbestos from the city’s former Builders Square building that the company owns.

After contacting a licensed asbestos abatement company in June 2007 to inquire on pricing for the removal of 800 square feet of asbestos insulation from the building’s boiler room before it was demolished, Elbert Building Co. received a $4,900 quote for the work to be performed, according to the indictment. While Elbert informed the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency that it would be using a licensed asbestos contractor for the project, it instead paid an unlicensed individual $35 to do the work one month later.

During an inspection by the Ohio EPA that followed the work, inspectors found four drums that contained dry asbestos products, while asbestos particles were also found left behind on the boiler room and in the parking lot, according to the indictment.

If you or a loved one has been exposed to dangerous asbestos and now is suffering from mesothelioma, contact Sokolove Law today to learn more about your legal options regarding a mesothelioma lawsuit.