The Massachusetts attorney general has filed suit against the state’s Department of Transportation and three private contractors, alleging that workers and nearby residents were put at risk for mesothelioma and other illnesses through exposure to asbestos and other hazardous materials. The group is accused of “numerous and repeated” violations during the demolition and reconstruction of a bridge just outside Boston. The complaint claims those most affected were underserved communities already bearing significant environmental burdens.
Mesothelioma Risk Created During Contaminated Soil Removal
Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos, and the attorney general’s complaint accuses MassDOT, general contractor SPS New England, asbestos remediation design firm Axiom Partners Inc., and Atlantic Coast Dismantling LLC of mischaracterizing the work on a bridge demolition and rebuild to avoid full oversight and requirements for sites with known asbestos contamination. The state is seeking substantial financial penalties and a court order requiring compliance with environmental regulations.
The organizations accused of creating a mesothelioma risk had been notified before starting work that soil in the area was suspected to contain contamination from asbestos, as well as oil, arsenic, lead, and mercury. Despite this, MassDOT told the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection that the project would involve smaller amounts of soil removal at a site not suspected of significant contamination. This allowed it to use a streamlined process under minimal supervision.
Bridge Work Created Significant Mesothelioma Risk for Workers and Residents
The complaint alleges that far more soil and debris were removed than indicated, and that contaminated soil was moved to inadequately secured, temporary storage areas near apartment buildings, a shopping center, and a hotel, raising mesothelioma exposure concerns for residents and passersby. Contaminated soils were also moved back to the bridge site and to a disposal facility south of Boston, without adequate measures to control potential releases of asbestos fibers.
Asbestos exposure from construction and demolition projects represents one of the most preventable sources of mesothelioma risk in modern communities. According to the complaint, “By mischaracterizing the work that they were performing, MassDOT and SPS avoided the oversight and requirements” required by state environmental laws, and that this deliberate circumvention created exposure risk for workers on the project and residents of surrounding communities.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net are here to help. Contact us today at 1-800-692-8608 to learn more.
