Oregon corporation fined following unlicensed asbestos removal

Walla Walla, Oregon – The Tektoniks Corporation is facing a $2,400 fine after a botched asbestos removal project. The company received the fine after allegedly removing tile and flooring that contained asbestos without a license. This could have endangered many lives in the area. During the process of removing the asbestos-laden materials, many tiny asbestos fibers could have been shot into the air. Once airborne, the asbestos fibers can easily be inhaled by workers, residents, or neighbors. Once inhaled, the tiny particles become permanently embedded in the lungs and are impossible to remove.

Asbestos exposure poses serious health risks. Some of the conditions that can arise after asbestos exposure include mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, and COPD. Mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer, affects thousands of new patients each year in the United States, and thousands more abroad. Mesothelioma has a long latency period, and it is common for the first symptoms of the disease to manifest as many as 15-40 years after the initial exposure to asbestos has occurred. No cure exists, but new research is being performed every year that improves treatment options and increases the chances of uncovering the cure.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality fined the Tektoniks Corporation, which is based in Walla Walla, after the company removed asbestos at two separate sites. The company removed vinyl tile containing asbestos at 1889 E. Highland Ave, in Hermiston. They also removed vinyl flooring containing asbestos at 868 College St. in Milton-Freewater. According to Department of Environmental Quality officials, Tektoniks Corporation did the work in both of these cases without obtaining a state-issued license. Tektoniks must respond to the allegations prior to August 19th. –http://www.mesothelioma.com