The two owners of the old Fitchburg Theater building on Main Street have pleaded no contest to charges that they illegally removed asbestos from the building. The men each were fined a total of $3,850. According to the state Attorney General’s office, when an inspector of the Fitchburg Board of Health observed that asbestos insulation on heating pipes in the rear of the building was in poor condition and needed repair, he issued a violation notice ordering the owners to fix the asbestos problem in accordance with state regulations. After several months, when the repairs still had not been made, one of the owners himself removed the asbestos, leaving asbestos debris lying uncontained in the area around the building. The inspector then contacted the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the owners were charged with causing asbestos to be released into the air and removing asbestos without first notifying the Department of Environmental Protection.
For the full story, go to the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.
