Asbestos Lawsuit against St. Louis and Airport Denied
Last fall, Federal Judge Carol Jackson ruled that the city of St. Louis and Lambert-St. Louis International Airport had violated the Clean Air Act by performing improper asbestos removal during demolition. The city had been clearing homes which contained asbestos materials in order to construct a new runway. To perform the demolition of about 250 commercial and residential buildings, the city used what is commonly referred to as the “wet method,” a means of asbestos removal not approved by government regulations.
The “wet method” allows contractors to spray asbestos containing materials with a fire hose and then destroy building structures without prior removal of asbestos. The city of St. Louis used this procedure for four years, from 2000 to 2004, until the EPA issued an order stopping the use of this method. By the time the order was issued, the majority of buildings had already been demolished.
Federal government safety regulations require that all asbestos and asbestos containing materials must be identified, removed, properly contained, and bagged with specific identification before demolition of a structure can occur. Asbestos has microscopic carcinogenic fibers that can become airborne when disturbed and then inhaled or ingested. Exposure to asbestos has been linked to several serious illnesses, such as asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer.
A group of concerned residents in the St. Louis area filed a civil lawsuit against the city and airport claiming the method of asbestos removal and disposal created a health hazard. Initially, Judge Jackson approved the group’s right to file an asbestos lawsuit but recently reversed her decision stating that there weren’t any imminent or current violations occurring. Despite the reversal, residents see victory because their efforts were successful in stopping the use of the wet method for any future demolition projects involving asbestos.
