A construction company has been fined $10,200 by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality for mishandling asbestos when it demolished an abandoned home in Pendleton. The company failed to properly handle and dispose of asbestos siding on the home. Company representatives say that the problems were simply mistakes and that there were no intentional violations of the asbestos regulations. Workers dropped asbestos-containing cement board, which shattered and may have released asbestos fibers. The construction company is not licensed to handle asbestos removal, and DEQ officials say that handling the asbestos materials without an asbestos abatement license is “a serious violation of Oregon’s environmental laws.” The company has largely agreed with the DEQ’s report of events. Company representatives have apologized for the mistakes made and stated that the company will not handle asbestos removal in the future. In addition to the DEQ fine, the company has already paid approximately $9,300 for proper clean up of the asbestos materials and emergency notification fees to DEQ.
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