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Vermont Man Arrested on Illegal Removal of Asbestos Charges

Release Date: 11/07/2002
Contact Information:


Teresa Libera 202-564-7873/libera.teresa@epa.gov


(11/07/02) Edward Carroll of Ludlow, Vt., was arrested on Oct. 28 on charges he violated the Clean Air Act by illegally removing and handling asbestos during a demolition project in Plainfield, Conn. The six-count federal indictment handed down in U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut in New Haven charged, from September through November 2000, Carroll conducted demolition and renovation activities at the Inter-Royal Mill in Plainfield. The indictment alleges during that time, he failed to remove all asbestos-containing materials (ACM) before beginning demolition and he improperly bagged the ACM. The failure to properly handle ACM can cause asbestos fibers to become airborne, then the fibers can be inhaled by workers and the public. Inhaling asbestos fibers is a known cause of lung cancer, a lung disease known as “asbestosis,” and mesothelioma, which is a cancer of the chest and abdominal cavities. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison and/or a maximum fine of up to $250,000 on each count for which he is convicted. The case was investigated by EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and the Plainfield Police Department with the assistance of EPA’s National Enforcement Investigations Center. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s office in New Haven. An indictment is merely an accusation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless or until they are proven guilty in a court of law.