Wis. Man to Pay $20,000 in Asbestos Handling Violations

Wisconsin Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager announced that her office has reached a settlement with Tad M. Ballantyne, of Racine, Wis., over violations of state asbestos handling regulations. To settle the case, Ballantyne agreed to pay a total of $20,359 in forfeitures, penalties and assessments.

“The state’s complaint, filed in Racine County, alleged that Ballantyne removed asbestos-containing insulation from pipes in a building located at 1442 Memorial Drive, Racine, Wisconsin, without proper safety precautions,” Lautenschlager said. “The site is an industrial building that was formerly a part of the Racine Steel Casting facility complex. Proper asbestos removal precautions are critical to the health and safety of our citizens and to Wisconsin’s environment, and these latest penalties should serve as a reminder that these mandatory precautions are all too often ignored.”

The complaint alleged that Ballantyne 1) failed to wet asbestos-containing material during removal; 2) failed to have a supervisor trained in proper asbestos removal techniques present during removal; 3) failed to remove asbestos containing material from facility components prior to activity that would break up, dislodge or similarly disturb the material; and 4) failed to provide the DNR with advance notice of the demolition or renovation activity.

The Department of Justice filed the lawsuit at the request of the Department of Natural Resources. The settlement was approved by Racine County Circuit Court Judge Charles Constantine.