Warren Fabricating to pay air pollution settlement

A building containing
asbestos was demolished and the Ohio EPA was not informed.

BY MAYSOON ABDELRASUL

VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF

HUBBARD — A company violated the Ohio EPA’s pollution control laws and will pay a penalty for it.

Warren Fabricating Corp., 7845 Chestnut Ridge Road S.E., failed to follow notification requirements before demolishing a building in Hubbard Township, the Ohio EPA said.

The 150,000-square-foot building that was demolished was located at 7838 Iron Street in Hubbard and was owned by Warren Fabricating. That property previously housed Berenfield Containers Company.

The building was not inspected for asbestos nor did the company submit a notice of intention to demolish the building. The notice needed to reach the EPA 10 days in advance, it said.

In a settlement with Ohio EPA, the corporation must pay $25,000 to resolve air pollution control violations associated with the demolition.

Penalties

The civil penalty included $10,200 to administer Ohio EPA’s air pollution control programs, $10,200 to the Ohio Environmental Education Fund and $5,100 to Ohio EPA’s clean diesel school bus program.

The corporation specializes in large steel fabrications and heavy machining for surface mining equipment, steel mills, power generation and large press manufacturers.

The violations were documented by the Mahoning-Trumbull Air Pollution Control Agency and an Ohio EPA’s representative in Trumbull County.

According to the settlement, the demolition was done in house and not through a contractor. The demolition work took place in 2004 and 2005.

The company has until March 2008 to completely remove and properly dispose of any remaining demolition debris.

According to the EPA, asbestos can break up into small fibers that can be released into the air if not properly controlled during removal and disposal activities. If inhaled, airborne asbestos can pose health risks including respiratory diseases.