May 7, 2009 - Iowa Developer Agrees to Pay $500,000 for Asbestos Violations
Equitable L.P. was ordered to pay $500,000 for violating environmental and federal regulations regarding asbestos abatement during renovations of the Des Moines Equitable Building, a historic structure built in 1924.
Bob Knapp, owner of Equitable L.P. and the building, was charged with failing to inspect for the presence of asbestos before starting renovations, failure to provide written notice to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and failure to properly handle and dispose of asbestos-containing materials.
Asbestos was commonly used in construction materials before 1980. Asbestos was well known for its fire resistant and insulating properties and therefore is often found in older buildings. Asbestos poses a health hazard when it becomes airborne and is inhaled, causing lung cancer, asbestosis (a respiratory disease caused by scarring of the lungs,) and mesothelioma (a cancer in the lining of the lungs, heart or abdomen.)
There is no known cure to asbestos-related diseases and the best protection is complete avoidance of exposure to the deadly substance.
Equitable’s failure to follow federal and state safety regulations created a threat to workers and tenants who continued to operate business out of the first six floors during renovations. Unfortunately, any diseases that may be caused by that negligence will take years to show, as the latency period between exposure and development of symptoms is long, anywhere from twenty to fifty years.