A recent report from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has revealed that 37 bags of asbestos were dumped in a vacant home at Lagrange Street and 23 such bags were dropped in the Eastern part of Toledo, Ohio. Both places where the bags were dumped are working class neighborhoods. The bags are believed to have been dropped by the same individuals at both the spots.
The bags dropped at Lagrange Street were found in a vacant house while the ones dropped in East Toledo were found on St. Louis Street, near a garage, in an alley. An investigation to find the dumpers is ongoing, but it is being believed that the waste came from a big building complex that used asbestos as an insulating material. There was too much waste dumped to have come from one city home.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has joined forces with law enforcement officials in the area and is looking forward to making some arrests in the case. The penalty for the dumpers can be monetary or criminal in nature. The criminals may also have to serve a jail term as dumping asbestos is a serious violation of environmental law.
Asbestos is a natural fiber, which if inhaled or ingested, can cause fatal diseases like asbestosis, lung cancer and even mesothelioma. Asbestos has been banned from use in construction though there are still many buildings which had incorporated asbestos when originally built. Demolition and renovation of buildings cause asbestos to become airborne and exposure to this substance can result in deadly diseases with a long latency period. Thus, removal of asbestos from such buildings is highly regulated and should only be performed by professionals. Awareness of the dangerous effects of improperly handled asbestos is critical and thus those who have dumped the asbestos need to be punished.
