Allegations in Missouri Related to Asbestos Violations

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has accused a northern St. Louis County fire district of several asbestos-related violations. The DNR has offered to settle out of court, but is seeking a settlement of hundreds of thousands of dollars. The DNR is seeking a settlement with the fire district to the tune of $700,000.

In a letter sent earlier this week from the DNR to the attorney for the Northeast Ambulance and Fire Protection District, the DNR alleges that inspections at the district’s administration building found several violations. These violations include obstructing inspectors and violations revolving around the improper handling of asbestos. The DNR will give the district until the 21^st of this month to respond to the offer for a settlement out of court. If the district refuses, the DNR has threatened to take the matter up with the state’s Attorney General.

Late last year, St. Louis County authorities, as well as state and federal investigators, began a project to uncover the truth behind allegations that the fire district had improperly removed and disposed of asbestos-laden floor tiles. Asbestos is a known carcinogen. Being exposed to asbestos can, in some cases, cause people to develop life-threatening medical conditions like asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.

The DNR has accused the district of the following: failing to allow inspectors access to the property, failing to hire a licensed asbestos abatement contractor, failing to inspect the building for asbestos-containing materials prior to the start of work, and failing to comply with asbestos emission-control procedures and waste-disposal standards.