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Man Sentenced for Illegal Asbestos Removal

Jan. 7, 2000

An asbestos-abatement employee was sentenced to one year in prison for illegally removing asbestos-containing material.

A man was sentenced to one year in prison on Monday in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California in Fresno for illegally removing asbestos-containing material from residential buildings.

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California in Fresno said Gus Serrano of Rialto, Calif., knowingly violated the Clean Air Act by removing the material at the Naval Air Weapons Station in China Lake, Calif.

Serrano was the on-site supervisor of a southern California asbestos-abatement company, Asbestos Consulting Technicians Technology, which was conducting asbestos removal under a federal government contract.

Serrano and other persons working under his direction violated numerous asbestos removal work practice standards in February 1997, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

EPA said Serrano and his workers failed to adequately wet the asbestos before removing it and ensure that no visible emissions occurred as a result of the removal.

Inhaling asbestos fibers is a known cause of lung cancer, a lung disease called "asbestosis," and mesothelioma, which is cancer of the chest and abdominal cavities.

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeek, EHS Today, Material Handling & Logistics, Logistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor: Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.