May 2nd, 2008

A building owner may be facing charges over asbestos being removed from one of his buildings. The building owner said that he was not aware how dangerous asbestos could be.

After asbestos was being removed from a building in Wisconsin, the removal was shut down and the owner of the building may be facing criminal charges. Tenants in the building say that the owner had asbestos removed without providing protective gear to workers, without sealing the building, and routinely threatening to evict anyone who complained about how the asbestos was being handled. Witnesses said they saw more than 1,000 feet of asbestos-covered piping, and workers jumping up and down on bags filled with asbestos dust to compact the material.

Airborne asbestos can be dangerous, since breathing in airborne particles can lead to respiratory illnesses. Emphysema, mesothelioma and asbestosis can all result from breathing in asbestos fibers. Mesothelioma, a type of lung cancer, can take years to manifest and is often terminal when detected. The building owner said he was not aware of the asbestos at first, and then did not know there were specific ways to handle and remove the material.