A criminal investigation will begin today into suspected dumping of asbestos on Marco Island.City officials and a consulting company confirmed this morning that "several dozen" pieces of asbestos were found at the intersection of Elkcam Circle and Joy Circle, also known as "Site C" of the former "Glon" property, Tuesday.
Environmental contractors American Management Resources Corporation (AMRC) certified an $83,634 cleaning of that site of asbestos in early April after a citizens group and the city found asbestos debris on the vacant lot, the planned site of Veterans Park.

"The site had been cleaned up so we can only assume someone put asbestos there," Marco Island Police Chief Roger Reinke said.

The Marco Island Police Department will handle the criminal investigation.

The city has rehired AMRC to clean the current asbestos at "Site C", a process that began this morning and is expected to last no more than two days.

The current inquiry into asbestos on the site began Saturday when Ed Foster, a past chairman of political action group Citizens Advocating Responsible Environmental Solutions (CARES), sent an e-mail with photographs showing debris on "Site C" to the city.

City spokeswoman Lisa Douglass responded Monday, saying that the debris was related to on-site sea wall construction.

But a further investigation after a series of e-mails between the two revealed the asbestos. The city said that no asbestos is involved in sea wall construction.

On Oct. 9 the city and CARES settled a lawsuit in which CARES alleged that illegal levels of asbestos had been released on the property due to contractors work on a nearby construction project. As part of the settlement, neither the city nor the contractor, Quality Enterprises, acknowledged any wrongdoing in their handling of asbestos on the property.

City Manager Bill Moss has begun to inform the Marco Island City Council of these findings and is expected to speak with all seven members today.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, asbestos is made up of microscopic bundles of fibers that may become airborne when materials are damaged or disturbed. Inhaled asbestos can cause significant health problems.
Find additional coverage in Friday's edition of the Daily News.

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2006/oct/26/investigation_begins_marco_asbestos_dumping/

# # #
 
Pure Air Control Services
 
1-800-422-7873