The District Court in Tewksbury, Massachusetts sentenced a father and son on Tuesday for asbestos-related charges. Francis D. Tramontozzi, age 72, and his son, Thomas M. Tramontozzi, age 47, were found guilty of carrying out asbestos removal and disposal without first notifying the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection [MassDEP]. Both father and son will have to pay $2,000 in restitution as a result of violating the Massachusetts Clean Air Act by neglecting to “control asbestos emissions.” In addition, they will both be ordered to pay a $1,000 fine for failing to notify the MassDEP prior to removing asbestos.
The ECSF was notified in the fall of 2006 after a Fitchburg, MA Board of Health Inspector received an anonymous complaint related to asbestos in the Old Fitchburg Theater Building, owned by Francis Tramontozzi and his son. Upon further investigation, inspectors ordered the Tramontozzi’s to remove all unsafe asbestos insulation in the structure. Board of Health officials later discovered asbestos debris and powder present in several areas within the building as a result of unsafe asbestos removal, which put individuals who worked in the building at great risk of inhalation. Asbestos has been definitively linked to the development of mesothelioma, a deadly lung cancer that affects the pleural lining of the lungs and has a survival rate of less than 1%.
The Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center praise the combined efforts of the MassDEP, the ECSF, and the Attorney General’s Office for the prosecution of asbestos offenders and for their dedication to protecting Massachusetts citizens and the environment in which they live.
The Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center is the web’s foremost resource for information related to asbestos exposure, mesothelioma, mesothelioma treatment options, and more. For additional information, please visit the Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center website.
