Asbestos Lawsuit Alert: Vermont school officials settle asbestos lawsuit with local flooring companyMontpelier, Vermont - The Montpelier, Vermont School District has settled a lawsuit with a local flooring company over an ongoing asbestos debate, according to the Times Argus. The flooring company, Morrison-Clark, Inc., allegedly was involved in the improper handling of asbestos-containing materials during an improvement project at the Main Street Middle School two years ago. Now, the company has agreed to settle the matter with the school district for the sum of $65,000.
"Specifically, Morrison-Clark failed to provide written notice to the EPA before starting the work, (failed) to wet the asbestos while stripping it and keep it wet until collected and contained for disposal and, also, failed to properly handle and dispose of asbestos-containing waste that was generated," added officials with the EPA.
The incident could have released tiny asbestos fibers into the air. Once airborne, these tiny particles of asbestos can be easily inhaled, causing lesions, lung scarring, and numerous types of cancer. One such cancer is mesothelioma, which affects less than 3,000 Americans each year. There is no known cure for this disease, which typically lies dormant for up to fifty years before an individual begins to suffer from mesothelioma symptoms. The majority of patients lose their battle with this cancer in less than two years following diagnosis.
"The settlement is the best outcome we could have hoped for while avoiding the costs and risks of trial," Montpelier School Board Chairman John Hollar said."There is no evidence that the Morrison-Clark principals...knew how to do the work could anticipate that the job would get too dusty or the employees would not follow the wetting requirements," wrote Superior Court Judge Geoffrey Crawford.
