January 17, 2012 – Asbestos-related violations that took place five years ago will be answered for in Federal District Court of Camden, New Jersey. The Environmental Protection Agency has filed suit against a Philadelphia Construction Company alleging that the company performed illegal demolition work at an industrial site in Gibbstown, New Jersey. In 2007, The Lovett Contracting Company removed 5,000 feet of piping and 3,000 feet of asbestos piping insulation. The company is facing six alleged violations of The Clean Air Act and The National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollution.
The alleged violations took place at the former site of a DuPont plant over a two month period. Regulators say that Lovett Contracting Inc. did not take the necessary precautions in removing the piping and the asbestos insulation which allowed the asbestos fibers to become airborne. The Clean Air Act requires work practice safeguards in asbestos removal and demolition projects to prevent the release of asbestos fibers.
The EPA alleges that Lovett Contracting Inc. failed to inspect the building for the presence of asbestos and did not notify authorities of the asbestos removal; therefore, no inspector was present on the site during the demolition. Routine state inspections led to the discovery of the violations. Lovett is facing penalties of $32,500 per day, for each violation, as well as, legal fees incurred by the federal attorney.