Asbestos contractor charged for Violation of Clean Air Act
Feb 20 2007 Randall G. Cone, an asbestos contractor from Philadelphia was charged for violating the Clean Air Act by illegally dumping asbestos waste in a parking lot. This was announced on last Tuesday by United States Attorney Patrick L. Meehan. The asbestos waste which had been transported and dumped in 2000, was discovered in 2005.
Cone was the owner and operator of the asbestos disposal firm R. Cone Environmental Services, Inc. The owners of a building at 800 North Broad Street in Philadelphia hired him in the spring of 2000 to get rid of some asbestos-containing material as the building was being converted into a charter school. Cone leased an individual to transport the removed asbestos material for disposal however, it was eventually discarded in a semi-trailer at a vacant lot on Ferry Avenue in Camden.
The Clean Air Act asbestos regulations issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires the asbestos waste shipment record to be completed at the time of transport and Cone failed to do this. Through a variety of methods, the Clean Air Acts regulate industrial, waste disposal, and other human activities that result in contamination of the air.
If declared guilty, Cone may receive a maximum sentence of two years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, two years supervised release, and a special assessment of $100.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Martin Harrell of the EPA regional office in Philadelphia has been assigned the case now. Initially it was investigated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Criminal Investigation Division.
The trailer and its hazardous contents were discovered in 2005 by a company remodeling the Ferry Avenue property. They have spent approximately $18,000 to dispose the asbestos waste and trailer. The issue is expected to go to trial later this year and the company hopes they can reimburse the money then.
