Mishandling Asbestos Removal Has Serious Consequences
St. Louis developer Matthew E. Burghoff borrowed money to remove asbestos-containing debris from a building he owned, but used the funds to pay off personal debts and buy a home in Mexico. He faces as much as 2 1/2 years in prison for the infractions.
Burghoff’s trouble started last year when the St. Louis Air Pollution Control Division was tipped off that asbestos was bring removed improperly from the Ford building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Inspectors found asbestos-containing debris left in piles throughout most of the building’s 13 floors and some 60 bags of asbestos waste.
There appears to be no action in further removal.
Exposure to asbestos that is improperly removed or stored can lead to asbestosis and serious diseases of the lung, including mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma attorneys at Clapper, Patti, Schweizer & Mason caution the public to be aware of any asbestos-containing products in their workplace and to become familiar with precautions against exposure.
