Shrewsbury, MA - The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection is asking the courts to assess a fine of nearly $46,000 to a local company for violations of state asbestos regulations.
Bruce LaPierre of Certified Residential Roofing and Siding is accused of removing roofing materials which contained asbestos from a home he had been working on without first notifying the DEP. A DEP spokesman also said Mr. LaPierre did not follow the proper safety procedures of handling and disposing of the materials.
In October 2006, workers from the DEP were inspecting the residential property when they found many pieces of dry and uncontained asbestos shingles out in the open.
However, Mr. LaPierre denied that he was responsible for the removal and mess left behind. He said he began working on the property after the asbestos work had already been completed. Unfortunately for him, he was the only person working at the home when the DEP workers arrived for the inspection and was thus falsely blamed for the incident.
He admitted he made a mistake by ignoring the DEP's notification of the violation because he felt it had nothing to do with him, but he still didn't think he deserved the costly fine. Mr. LaPierre said he plans to appeal the claim.
The DEP released a statement that once Certified Residential Roofing and Siding had discovered the violation, the company was required to hire a licensed asbestos contractor to remove the materials and clean the contaminated areas.
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