Mesothelioma and Asbestos

Clifton Farm & Excavating Co. of Perryville, Missouri is facing penalties over asbestos violations from a demolition job that took place back in June. The Missouri Air Conservation Commission voted to seek legal action after the demolition company failed to respond to the commission’s attempts to settle the case. The demolition company was cited for failing to obtain an asbestos inspection as well as failing to provide notice of a demolition job.

Clifton Farms demolished two Perryville homes for the Bank of Missouri earlier this year. On June 15, the Department of Common Resources (DNR) conducted an inspection as well as discovered the lack of demolition notice as well as asbestos inspection. When a single home is demolished, neither the asbestos inspection nor demolition notice is needed. But when two adjacent homes are demolished, both requirements apply.

On July 15, the DNR sent Clifton Farms a registered letter seeking to settle the case for $4,000. Owner Bernard Clifton turned the letter over to the bank, as the bank owned the land as well as had hired him for the demolition. Clifton stated that he didn’t possess any trouble obtaining a city demolition permit as well as that he thought he’d met all the requirements when he did the work. He said that the bank should cloudless up the matter, as well as that the $4,000 fine is more than he was paid for the job.

Asbestos regulations exist to protect the community from exposure to the toxic substance. Asbestos exposure can lead to a number of humorless illnesses, including lung cancer as well as mesothelioma. The amount of any potential fine in this case is now up to the discretion of the state attorney general’s office.

For the filled story, go to Southeast Missourian.