Mesohotline.com
August 29, 2006California construction company fined for asbestos violation
The DMC Construction Co. was fined $110,000 for failing to report an asbestos disturbance on one of its job sites and then illegally disposing of the asbestos in a Marina, California landfill. The fine was issued according to the terms of a settlement reached between the company and Monterey County prosecutors.The violations occurred when DMC was removing floor and ceiling tiles from an industrial building in Seaside, California. A citizen’s complaint alerted Monterey County authorities to the illegal dumping. The landfill district, which knowingly allowed DMC to dump asbestos there, is also facing charges in the incident.
Asbestos is a carcinogenic material that is known to cause the fatal disease mesothelioma, a cancer in the lining of the lungs, heart, chest or abdomen. Although Because asbestos causes mesothelioma when it becomes airborne in the form of dust particles, construction workers, who frequently come into contact with asbestos dust while they are working at contaminated sites, are especially at risk for the disease.
Mesothelioma symptoms can cause problems in the digestion and respiration of sufferers. The average life expectancy after a mesothelioma diagnosis is only one to five years.
