Asbestos News

The owners of Lynnfield, Massachusetts, asbestos abatement company AEI Environmental recently pleaded guilty and were sentenced over violations related to the removal and disposal of the carcinogenic material from a number of sites.

According to a release from the office of Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, 48-year-old David Harder, Jr. and 52-year-old Julie Rosati pleaded guilty to charges of violating the Massachusetts Clean Air Act, the Massachusetts Solid Waste Act and the evasion of unemployment insurance.

In September 2010, the Environmental Strike Force were made aware of allegations that the owners had been illegally storing bags containing asbestos in a self-storage facility located in Lynnfield. The individuals were also found to have illegally removed asbestos from a number of sites across the state, including schools and public buildings, as they were not licensed to complete such work at the time, the release said.

"Asbestos is a hazardous material that must be properly removed and reported to ensure the public’s safety," Coakley said in a statement. "These individuals disregarded the laws around asbestos removal and put people at risk of being exposed to this dangerous toxin."

The risks Coakley is referring to include the potential development of deadly diseases such as lung cancer, asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma, a rare cancer diagnosed in approximately 2,500 people in the U.S. each year, according to the National Cancer Institute.