Seattle WA (2/12/2021) – The Environmental Protection Agency announced today that it has settled with “Wright Brothers, the Building Company” and “First Team Restoration Inc.” for violations of federal asbestos regulations committed during renovation of a commercial building in Boise, Idaho.

Asbestos is a known carcinogen with no known safe level of exposure.

In the consent agreement and final order filed on January 26, EPA alleged that the two companies failed to comply with important asbestos regulations when they failed to test and inspect drywall and joint compound for asbestos before removing it, and failed to notify EPA of their intent to renovate the building at least 10 working days before beginning the renovation.

The companies agreed to pay a combined penalty of $36,300.

Asbestos fibers may be released into the air by the disturbance of asbestos-containing material during product use, demolition work, building or home maintenance, repair, and remodeling. In general, exposure may occur only when the asbestos-containing material is disturbed or damaged in some way to release particles and fibers into the air.

Air toxics regulations under the Clean Air Act require the owner or operator of the renovation or demolition operation to notify EPA or the appropriate state agency before any demolition, or before any renovations of buildings that contain a certain threshold amount of regulated asbestos-containing material. These work practice standards are designed to prevent the release of asbestos fibers during building demolition or renovation, waste packaging, transportation and disposal.

Work practices involve removing all asbestos-containing materials, adequately wetting all regulated asbestos-containing materials to prevent release of fibers, sealing the material in leak-tight containers and disposing of the asbestos-containing waste material in a landfill qualified to receive asbestos waste as expediently as practicable.

Contact Information: Bill Dunbar (dunbar.bill@epa.gov) 206-245-7452