Three Arrested for Dumping Carcinogen in Wetlands
Three men were arrested Sept. 12 for allegedly dumping asbestos-laden debris into Central Florida’s Green Swamp more than 43 times over this summer, the Orlando Sentinel recently reported. According to the report, Ronnie Lee Spears, Jr. of Bartow told his employees at the Florida Environmental Compliance Corporation to dump asbestos-laden tiles in the swamp in order to save on landfill fees. Another employee, Thomas Barnhill, arranged for the dumping, and Warren Gregory Gay, the owner of the land, participated and allowed it. All three men were arrested after a tipoff sparked a joint state and local investigation into the practice, which the Sentinel reported may have saved the company more than $10,000.
Dumping is a crime in Florida, of course, and it's despicable that some people feel entitled to spoil our environment in order to save a few dollars. But what really raises eyebrows in this case is what was dumped -- asbestos building materials. Asbestos causes cancer, and it has been known to cause cancer for decades, which is why its use in buildings and other applications is highly restricted. In fact, the type of cancer it causes is a particularly fast-acting cancer called mesothelioma, which is frequently not diagnosed until it has reached an advanced state. Victims of mesothelioma are generally given months, rather than years, to live. In short, mesothelioma is an ugly disease -- but because asbestos is almost always the cause, it is also highly preventable.
Because asbestos makes people sick, special precautions must be taken when it's removed from buildings, as it was in this case. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the Florida Environmental Compliance Corporation specializes in that sort of high-risk removal -- which would make it highly ironic that the company's employees (apparently acting on their own) exposed others to this carcinogen by introducing it into our air and water. Their company is cleaning up the swamp at its own expense (which I applaud), but its employees could still be legally liable in any asbestos exposure lawsuit or mesothelioma lawsuit that results from their careless and illegal behavior.
If you or someone you care about is suffering from mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, please contact Cohn, Smith & Cohn as soon as possible to discuss your case and your legal options.
