A Bronx man has entered a guilty plea before a Superior Court judge for unsafe handling and releasing of asbestos in public areas.
Tyron Maple, 51, had removed asbestos insulation from Friendship Baptist Church, of which he is a member, using unsafe techniques which led to the release of hazardous asbestos fibers into nearby areas. He handled the asbestos without a license and did not follow the stringent state and federal guidelines that were established to protect the public.
One of the areas of the church that was contaminated by the asbestos Maple released was a section leased a daycare, putting children at risk for asbestos exposure which could lead to life-threatening illnesses in the future.
An investigation uncovered a contract Maple had signed with Friendship to perform removal of asbestos insulation from steam pipes, which were in need of repair but required asbestos removal prior to it. The unlicensed repairman completed the job last December for a fee of $6,200.
For his crime, the New York boiler repairman could be sentenced to a maximum of three years in a state prison for knowingly causing the release of a toxic substance.
In February, the church conducted air tests after a member complaint. The results revealed increased levels of asbestos everywhere in the church's first floor, and the building had to be closed for several days while a licensed asbestos professional performed a cleanup.
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