BOSTON — The state of Massachusetts has settled with Town Fair Tires for $81,000 over allegations the company illegally removed and disposed of asbestos material during the expansion of its Springfield tire store.
According to a lawsuit filed by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, Town Fair violated the state's clean air and solid waste management laws when it removed insulation which contained asbestos during a store renovation.
“Shoddy and unlicensed asbestos removal endangers workers and the public,” Healey said in a statement. “Our office enforces the law to protect residents from the serious health risks of asbestos.”
“Asbestos contained in thermal system insulation presents a significant risk to the health of workers and the general public,” added Michael Gorski, director of the Springfield regional office of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). “We will continue to work with the Attorney General’s Office to pursue asbestos violations such as those presented by this case.”
The consent judgment entered into the Suffolk Superior Court includes Town Fair paying $81,000 in penalties and publishing notifications about the importance of following the state's asbestos abatement projects in the New England Real Estate Journal, according to the Attorney General's Office.