Missouri Offers Settlement to St. Louis Fire District

July 9, 2009

A letter was sent today from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to Elbert Walton Jr., the attorney for the Northeast Ambulance and Fire Protection District in St. Louis, Missouri. The letter detailed several violations, regarding the handling of asbestos and the blocking of inspectors.

The following is a list of policies that the district failed to do:

·         Allow access for an inspection.

·         Use a registered asbestos abatement contractor to remove asbestos.

·         Inspect for asbestos-containing materials before renovation or demolition.

·         Comply with asbestos emission-control procedures and waste-disposal standards.

The DNR offered to settle with the district outside of the courtroom for $70,000. It has until July 21 to make a decision, at which time; the matter will be referred to the attorney general.

The violations mainly refer to an incident in which fire district officials removed and disposed of tiles potentially containing asbestos from a building, then kicked out inspectors who were looking into the allegations.