January 15th, 2008

Residents and some officials are still stewing over asbestos that was mishandled on Marco Island. Though state and national organizations are helping with the removal, the company that originally handled the removal has still not seen any repercussions of the botched job.

A contracting company that was hired to remove old piping from a soon-to-be public park in Marco Island is coming under more fire this week. Residents of the city are asking that a fine lodged against the company be enforced. The $50,000 fine was levied against the company for improperly removing, storing and disposing of deadly asbestos. Though the Environmental Protection Agency ruled that the contractor should be fined $57,950 for the infractions, the company still has not paid and no moves seem to have been made to enforce the fine.

The area’s asbestos is a large problem, since the site is near homes and is supposed to be turned into a public park. Residents are afraid that the asbestos has not been completely removed, and mad that the issue is not being addressed in a swift manor. Asbestos has been linked to mesothelioma and emphysema if it is exposed in a public place. While no cases of respiratory diseases have been reported in the area, the potential of asbestos-related illnesses is still a concern.