EPA Chasing Culprits Who Dumped Asbestos in Ohio

The Ohio branch of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is asking for help to find the person (or people) responsible for dumping a large amount of asbestos on an unoccupied property near Swanton.

According to an EPA press release, in November 2012, someone discovered a “large quantity” of pipe insulation containing carcinogenic asbestos at a vacant property adjacent to a nature conservancy. The EPA believes that the asbestos-containing insulation was probably from a heating system pipe and had possibly been stolen by scrap metal-seeking thieves. Investigators believe that there may have been witnesses who saw trucks entering the property where the asbestos was discovered.

Unfortunately for the pipe thieves, disturbed asbestos carries a high risk. Diseases such as mesothelioma cancer can take up to 40 years after asbestos exposure to materialize. According to the National Cancer Institute, there is no known safe level of asbestos exposure, which is why the EPA has many laws for the removal and handling of the material.

Penalties for the illegal disposal of asbestos-containing material are considerable. In one recent case, an Illinois man was sentenced to 10 years in prison and a $15,000 fine for the illegal removal, handling, and disposal of asbestos from a building. The man was also ordered to pay restitution of $47,086 to the EPA for the cleanup of the asbestos.

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer or any other asbestos-related illness, you may be entitled to a mesothelioma settlement. To learn more about your legal options, please contact Sokolove Law for a free case evaluation.

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