State Fines Waltham Contractor For Asbestos Violations

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has levied a large fine against a Waltham company.

The DEP, on Jan. 11, fined NASDI, LLC, $41,150 for violations of asbestos and demolition regulations, according to the DEP. 

The fine is in connection with work NASDI, a licensed company, was performing at the Old Colony Housing Project in South Boston. In October of 2010, the DEP approved the firm’s plan to perform a controlled demolition of several buildings at the site in South Boston. The site is currently being redeveloped into new housing units, according to the Boston Globe.

On Nov. 18, 2010, DEP officials, during a routine inspection, found several violations. DEP inspectors found site workers had improperly discarded asbestos and created dust clouds as a result, according to the DEP. Also, a pump to monitor air was not working, a mobile decontamination unit was not being used and the site did not have barriers to keep the public away from the site. The site also did not have enough signs to keep the public away, according to the DEP. 

"The plan the contractor submitted, if implemented properly, would have protected workers and residents from the threat of exposure to asbestos-containing materials," DEP Northeast Regional Office Director Eric Worrall said in a statement. "The failure to follow that plan posed an unacceptable level of risk, and resulted in the operation being shut down until those violations were corrected."

NASDI is required to pay $25,000 of the fine and $16,150 will be suspended as long as NASDI follows regulations during this year, according to the DEP. 

NASDI could not be reached for comment on Jan. 11.