Oregon Senate Bill 105 was passed May 26, 2009 by the Oregon House of Representatives. If Governor Ted Kulongoski signs the bill into law, polluters in the state can expect to see significantly higher penalties.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality proposes the increase of penalties originally set in 1973. They note that inflation has caused the penalties to become negligible and a higher incentive is needed to protect humans and the environment from toxic pollution such as asbestos.
The proposed increases include:
- A maximum administrative penalty for asbestos abatement from $10,000 to $25,000 per day.
- Intentional or reckless violations that create likelihood of extreme hazard to public health or extensive environmental damage – increase from $100,000 to $250,000 per day.
- Misdemeanor fines related to asbestos abatement from $10,000 to $25,000 per day.
Are These Increases Necessary?
We agree that the increases proposed by this bill are a great idea. In fact, we think they should be even higher. From very early on, the health risks of asbestos exposure, such as mesothelioma and asbestos cancer, were covered up for one main reason: greed.
Today, greed is still the major reason that folks continue to be exposed to this deadly substance. Even though mesothelioma is 100% preventable, it’s not likely that we’ll see it disappear for at least 4-5 decades. The reason for this is that even though strict laws regarding asbestos abatement are in place nationally, companies and people continue to try to save money by skipping vital precautions for demolition. Nearly every day, some newspaper around the country reports on another asbestos violation by someone trying to save a few bucks.
We see this frequently, but apparently not enough people have heard it and taken it to heart, so we’re going to say it again: how long will companies continue to put a price on a person’s life? Because that’s exactly what they’re doing when they handle asbestos in any way other than that allowed by law.
To learn more about the proposed bill, view the SB105 Fact Sheet.
To learn more about mesothelioma, read our mesothelioma page.
If you or a loved one have been exposed to asbestos and have developed mesothelioma, contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced mesothelioma lawyer.
