Demolition companies to pay $100K in settlement with Ohio

CLEVELAND (Legal Newsline) - Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced a $100,000 agreement on Monday with the former land owners, business owner and construction company involved in the operation and demolition of a Cleveland metal plating business.

The now-defunct DLH Plating allegedly improperly stored and abandoned hazardous material on its property after the business closed. DLH Plating allegedly discharged some of the waste into a public sewer. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also alleged the business' buildings were not properly demolished, which caused air pollution from the asbestos materials in the buildings.

DeWine's office filed a lawsuit against the individuals and businesses involved in the demolition, including Grand Avenue Realty Company Inc. and North Coast Developers Inc., the land owners; David Harper, the owner of DLH Plating; and Joe Haddad & Sons Construction Company and Edward Haddad, Jr., the demolition construction company and its owner.

"Although the environmental hazards created in this neighborhood have been addressed earlier, it was necessary to obtain a penalty for these defendants' illegal conduct," DeWine said. "Those who violate Ohio's environmental protection laws will face consequences for creating threats to the health of Ohioans."

Under the terms of a consent order, Grand Avenue Realty and North Coast Developers must pay $90,000 in civil penalties, David Harper must pay $5,000 and Haddad Construction Company and Edward Haddad, Jr. must pay $5,000.

Following the lawsuit, the property was sold. It was then cleaned up by its new owners who redeveloped the land.