Clapper, Patti, Schweizer and Mason

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued criminal search warrants of the old Whitney Mill in Spartanburg County in South Carolina due to suspicion of illegal asbestos activity at the site. The Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) was first alerted by anonymous tip that there may be hazardous contamination occurring at the Mill a year ago.   Soon after, they passed that information on to federal EPA investigators.

 

According to federal and state laws, any removal, handling or disposal of asbestos must be done in accordance to strict guidelines. James Kim, the current owner of the property, was supposedly informed that asbestos was on site before purchasing it. He then hired two men to remove asbestos containing materials without adequate protection. According to reports, Kim also had the men then put the waste material in a room and seal it off with cinder blocks. Subsequent test samples have shown the debris to be positive for asbestos.

 

Until asbestos was accepted to be highly carcinogenic, it was commonly added to construction and building materials due to its fire-resistant and thermal insulating properties. In the mid 1980’s, the use of asbestos was strictly regulated and laws were put in place regarding handling, removal and disposal of any product containing the deadly substance.

 

Asbestos, when inhaled or ingested, causes serious illnesses, such as asbestosis, lung cancer, and malignant mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is an incurable form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos.   Due to a long latency period, most people do not develop symptoms of the disease until they are in their fifties or older.

 

Kim faces charges of violating the Clean Air Act by not first performing an inspection, giving adequate advance notice, or removing or disposing of asbestos containing materials properly and safely. Kim’s lawyer says that Kim is unaware of committing any violations and has been willing to give full cooperation to investigating agencies.