Clapper, Patti, Schweizer and Mason

Asbestos is a mineral that was once widely used in many building and construction products up until the mid 1980’s. By then, it was widely accepted and acknowledged that asbestos caused serious illness, such as asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer. Federal, state and local governing agencies created regulations in regards to the use, removal and disposal of the carcinogenic substance.

 

Part of those environmental regulations lists requirements before work can be performed on buildings built during the time period where asbestos was likely to have been used. One of the first steps required is a building inspection, and many environmental companies specialize in this area. 

 

J&C Environmental Services, Inc., owned by Calvin Burks, is one such company that runs inspections in the St. Louis area. Burkes was recently indicted for creating over 100 fake asbestos inspection reports, which he then supplied to building owners and renovation and demolition contractors at a cost of $150 each. Burks claimed to have inspected the buildings, but in reality falsified the reports without actually doing the testing. Instead of performing asbestos analysis, Burkes merely used letterhead from a previous job to create fake reports.

 

After the falsified reports were provided to the City of St. Louis, permits allowing the demolition of buildings containing asbestos were issued. In such cases, the long term health of anyone on or near the site is put at risk. During renovations or demolitions, there is a high likelihood that asbestos becomes disturbed and airborne. Anyone in the vicinity can then inhale fibers that become lodged in the lining of the heart, abdomen or chest, causing a fatal cancer called mesothelioma decades later. 

 

Inspections and regulations are in place to safeguard against any such exposure to asbestos, as the dangers are well established. Burks stands to face ten to twenty years in prison and/or $250,000 in fines for each of the four counts.