Asbestos Mishandling Leads to Mesothelioma Risk and Legal Action

Recognizing that exposure to asbestos risks mesothelioma and other serious diseases, the state of Massachusetts has taken legal action against a local construction company. The state’s Attorney General Maura Healey has accused GTA Co. and its president of ignoring state laws by demolishing asbestos-contaminated municipal water pipes without taking the necessary precautions to prevent asbestos from spreading throughout the community. She has also named other entities that transported and illegally stored the asbestos.

Community at Risk of Mesothelioma from Airborne Asbestos

Healey claims that the actions of Gregory T. Antonelli, president of GTA Co., exposed vulnerable communities to the risk of malignant mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Her lawsuit indicates that the work the company did on asbestos water mains in the towns of Everett and Braintree were illegally conducted, and that in addition to the risk to local residents, the company’s own employees were exposed to the deadly carcinogen.

“We allege that these defendants put the health of the public and their workers at risk by conducting illegal and unsafe asbestos work in the middle of city streets, including in environmental justice communities that already bear disproportionate environmental risks. We will hold accountable people and companies who violate the laws intended to protect the public from this dangerous material.”

State’s Clean Air Act Violated

The lawsuit was filed after the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection alerted Healey that the companies had raised the risk of mesothelioma by failing to take appropriate precautions to prevent asbestos from becoming airborne. Additionally, once disturbed the asbestos-contaminated debris was left behind in neighborhoods, either dumped into open trash containers or crushed and buried in roadways. These actions violated the state’s Clean Air Act, and the company’s misrepresentation of its compliance with environmental requirements and asbestos handling rules violated the Massachusetts False Claims Act. 

Speaking of the risk of mesothelioma and other illnesses, MassDEP Deputy Commissioner Gary Moran said, “When asbestos is improperly handled, fibers can be released into the air, potentially resulting in health impacts to workers and the general public. MassDEP strictly regulates the handling, removal, and disposal of asbestos, and provides technical assistance to parties engaged in asbestos abatement, in order to protect the public health. Those who cut corners to save money will be penalized and learn that it is more cost-effective to do it right from the beginning.”