Two Business Owners Criminally Charged With Violating Clean Air Act
Two New Yorkers - including a former pro-football player - are facing federal criminal charges accusing them of numerous violations of the Clean Air Act, relating to three projects in which they are accused of improperly handling asbestos.
Our mesothelioma attorneys understand that the charges they face carry a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Now, on the surface, it would hardly seem fair that a poor job on a construction might warrant a 20-year prison sentence. But it makes a lot more sense when you consider that it will probably take at least that long to know whether their actions in exposing others to asbestos may have resulted in a fatal mesothelioma diagnosis.
Mesothelioma, which is a cancer of the lining of internal organs, is caused by airborne asbestos and is not typically detected until decades after the initial exposure.
This case is indicative of a phenomenon that we've seen in recent years. In far too many cases, contractors improperly remove asbestos, exposing employees and innocent bystanders to risk. In other cases, asbestos removal companies are cutting corners, not properly handling or disposing of asbestos, and likewise exposing victims to undue risk.
While asbestos isn't formally banned in the U.S., there are strict regulations on how it must be handled. Still, criminal prosecution for violations are relatively rare.
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