April 2, 2014 – A Woodbridge, New Jersey contractor faces a prison term of 7 years and fines exceeding $19,000 for unlawfully removing asbestos from a Union Township daycare in February, 2012. Muzzio pleaded guilty to the unlawful release of a toxic pollutant and to violating the Asbestos Control and Licensing Act after illegally removing asbestos from the daycare. As part of a plea bargain with New Jersey prosecutors, charges for the unlawful removal of asbestos from another 21 schools and 13 homes throughout Middlesex, Union, Morris, Essex, Hudson, and Ocean Counties will be dropped.
New Jersey has some of the toughest laws on asbestos abatement, and violators have notoriously faced stiff fines and imprisonment for violating these laws. Toxic asbestos fibers that are released into the air from improper abatement procedures can be inhaled into the lungs and lay dormant for a period of up to 50 years before a victim develops mesothelioma, a deadly form of lung cancer directly related to exposure to asbestos. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) regulate and enforce the state mandates for proper asbestos removal to protect school children, homeowners, and the public from illnesses caused by exposure to asbestos.
According to the New Jersey State Department of Criminal Justice, the contractor’s work in the Union Township daycare had to be redone by licensed asbestos removal contractors when the New Jersey Department of Workforce and Development and state health officials became aware of the illegal asbestos removal. The $19,848 fine Muzzio is required to pay includes restitution to the daycare, the state Department of Labor, and the Board of Education in Union Township, Hackettstown, and Edison.
New Jersey Asbestos Attorneys at Shein Law Help Victims of Asbestos Exposure Seek Justice and Compensation
The New Jersey asbestos attorneys at Shein Law have represented countless victims of asbestos exposure for over 30 years. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or another asbestos-related disease, the experienced and knowledgeable asbestos attorneys at Shein Law can help you claim the justice and financial compensation you deserve. With offices conveniently located in center city Philadelphia and southern New Jersey, we serve clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Call the Shein Law at 1-877-SHEINLAW (743-4652), or complete our online contact form.