Clapper, Patti, Schweizer and Mason

Charlie Hampton of Hamp’s Enterprises and Hamp’s Construction LLC pleaded guilty in New Orleans Criminal District Court to illegal dumping of asbestos waste in a wetland area in eastern New Orleans. 

 

Hampton was hired by the Army Corps of Engineers to help with the clean up of debris after Hurricane Katrina.   Many older buildings that were constructed with asbestos containing materials were destroyed during the hurricane, leaving toxic waste behind.

 

There is a particular area along Almonaster Boulevard in New Orleans that has been used for illegal dumping for quite some time. During an investigation by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) at this site, inspectors saw vehicles owned by Hampton dumping waste on a vacant lot in the area. 

 

Hampton was also arrested for submitting false documents that claimed he had performed asbestos inspections. All contractors are required to provide notice of demolition and conduct inspections for asbestos prior to initiating projects where the deadly substance is likely to exist. Laws and regulations exist to protect public and environmental health, and the DEQ is responsible for enforcing those safety requirements.

 

Asbestos is a mineral fiber that is in thousands of industrial products. It was widely used because of its unique insulating and fire resistant properties. Asbestos fibers are microscopic and can easily be inhaled into the body where they accumulate and decades later lead to disease. The three major illnesses caused by exposure to asbestos are asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is the rarest and yet most deadly form of cancer caused by asbestos.

 

Because of the danger to both human and environmental health, the DEQ regulates the procedures for asbestos removal and waste disposal. Hampton will pay fines for not abiding by these regulations, and may lose the ability to perform asbestos abatement work in the future.