EPA Settles Case Against C&D Firm, Army Base

EPA, demolition firm, army base settle suit in Hawaii.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently settled its case against the U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii at Fort Shafter and its subcontractor, Precision Demolition and Construction Inc. of Hawaii, which will pay $26,400 for alleged asbestos removal violations that occurred in March 2000.

"The EPA requires government agencies to follow laws for protecting human health and the environment," said Jack Broadbent, the EPA's air division director for the Pacific Southwest region.

On Sept. 28, 2000, the EPA filed a complaint against Fort Shafter and Precision for several alleged violations of the Clean Air Act's standards for hazardous air pollutants for asbestos during the demolition of a building in the Fort Shafter Flats near Honolulu.

The alleged violations included failure to keep asbestos-containing material adequately wet during stripping operations and until it was collected for disposal. Also, visible emissions of asbestos-containing material were allegedly discharged to the outside air during collection.