Two Leominster businesses fined combined $75K for violating environmental regulations
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Leaktite Corp.'s headquarters at 40 Francis St. in Leominster.
Two Leominster businesses have been slapped with fines from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection for infringing state environmental safety regulations.
Asbestos contractor D&R Environmental Services and plastic bucket manufacturer Leaktite Corp. have received penalties of $46,980 and $28,040, respectively.
D&R was cited for violating Massachusetts asbestos regulations by failing to follow mandatory work practices in its removal and packaging of a heating pipe wrapped in asbestos insulation in a Harvard residence, according to a Monday press release from MassDEP.
D&R did not return WBJ’s request for comment.
The department was notified of the regulatory infringement by an independent asbestos consultant who was hired by the concerned homeowner following D&R’s completion of the project.
In addition to paying the $46,980, MassDEP has informed D&R it must obey all asbestos regulation requirements during the company’s demolition and renovation projects within the state, including notices, submittals, and additional communications.
"Although D&R Environmental Services properly followed regulatory procedures for disposal, its mishandling and improper packaging of the asbestos materials beforehand was a serious violation that put public health and the environment at unnecessary risk," Mary Jude Pigsley, director of MassDEP’s central regional office in Worcester, said in the release. "Asbestos is a known carcinogen, and all asbestos-related abatement work must be done using strict procedures to prevent exposure and environmental contamination."
Leaktite received its $28,040 penalty for neglecting to keep records of its air emissions, in addition to breaching a number of hazardous waste regulations, including using an unlicensed transporter to ship hazardous waste to an unlicensed facility, according to a Tuesday press release from MassDEP.
Leaktite did not return WBJ’s request for comment.
The company has agreed to pay its fine and follow the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ air pollution and hazardous waste regulations. Leaktite has committed to corrective actions including contracting a licensed hazardous waste transporter to ship items to an approved facility. These completed steps must be relayed to MassDEP.
"Manufacturers must comply with air quality and hazardous waste regulations to protect public health and the environment," Pigsley said in the release. "Improper handling of hazardous waste endangers workers, first-responders and the public, while air pollution poses serious risks to our most vulnerable residents. We enforce strict standards to ensure that hazardous waste and harmful pollutants are managed and controlled safely and responsibly."
Mica Kanner-Mascolo is a staff writer at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the healthcare and diversity, equity, and inclusion industries.
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