Lawsuit Claims Montana Is Not Enforcing Strict Asbestos Laws

A prominent, family-run asbestos-disposal company is suing the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for failing to enforce the state’s strict asbestos-waste laws.
Doug Ingraham, corporate secretary at Ingraham Environmental Inc., believes the DEQ has been delinquent in its duty to protect citizens from unnecessary asbestos exposure.
“It’s a simple case of the government maintaining the status quo and the public feeling protected, when actually, the government is failing them,” Ingraham told Asbestos.com.
Ingraham said the DEQ has failed to apply the laws regarding asbestos abatement and disposal, allowing too much unregulated dumping at landfills across the state.
Exposure to asbestos can lead to a number of serious health issues, including asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Dump-Site Workers at Risk for Exposure
The legal filings by Ingraham are designed to push the DEQ toward tougher enforcement of the current laws. The lawsuit was filed in the district court of Butte-Silver Bow County and assigned to Judge Brad Newman.
“Asbestos waste is regularly being dumped in open air in our landfills, endangering landfill workers, transporters and anyone who breathes air in the area of these dumps,” notes Ingraham’s legal petition.
The DEQ countered with its own petition that says the responsibility for compliance is on the landfill operators and the owners of the buildings being demolished or abated. The agency also says it is not legally required t...

Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - October 26, 2017 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Matt Mauney Tags: asbestos abatement asbestos cleanup in libby montana asbestos landfill workers Asbestos laws in Montana asbestos lawsuit montana asbestos mines montana asbestos-disposal companies Butte-Silver Bow County DEQ Montana Doug Ingraham Ingra Source Type: news