Asbestos Testing Laboratory

Huntington Beach, CA, September 14^th, 2020

A California county district attorney’s office recently announced that criminal charges have been brought against a businessman for the unlawful dumping of asbestos in a residential neighborhood.

According to the DA’s announcement, back in February, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife was contacted by a concerned citizen about a man seen dumping large quantities of suspicious waste on his property. A Fish and Wildlife warden contacted the individual as he was in the process of dumping the contents of a dump truck into a hole. In the hole, the warden noticed large bags labeled “Asbestos.” The warden quarantined the scene and contacted the county district attorney office. The DA’s office sent a special environmental crimes investigator to assist and the property was immediately treated as a crime scene and was locked down by law enforcement.

During the investigation it was discovered that the man had removed the asbestos from properties he owned at the plaza and had transported it to his residential property. He did not possess any of the proper permits or authorization needed to transport the asbestos and was dumping the asbestos in a way that could cause it to become airborne and expose nearby residents to it. Investigators also discovered another location on the same property where the man had dumped asbestos several years prior.

“This property owner and businessman now faces up to four years in jail, plus environment fines of $5,000 to $100,000 per day that the asbestos was in the ground according to the DA,” said Joseph Frasca, Senior Vice President of Marketing at LA Testing. “It is because exposure to asbestos can cause mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer that there are strict rules and regulations in place for properly handling and disposing of it. Construction debris containing asbestos can easily become airborne. This puts people at risk, including neighbors of a property where illegal dumping takes place.”

Testing is the only way to be sure whether a material contains asbestos and LA Testing’s California facilities offer environmental testing services, sampling supplies, test kits and personal protective equipment (PPE). In many instances, testing can also be essential for keeping companies, institutions and property owners in compliance with asbestos regulations.

To learn more about asbestos or other environmental testing services, sampling supplies and PPE, please visit www.LATesting.com, email info@LATesting.com or call (800) 755-1794. For access to indoor environmental quality (IEQ) test kits for asbestos, visit www.EMSLTestKits.com.

About LA Testing

LA Testing is California’s leading laboratory for indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash and smoke damage, particulates and other chemicals. In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the general public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including: : AIHA-LAP, LLC (AIHA-LAP, LLC EMLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC IHLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC ELLAP), CDC ELITE, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health and other states. LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, San Leandro, San Diego and Ontario.