Attorney General Maura Healey’s office announced on Friday, October 16, a settlement for $500,000 with a group of companies for allegations of illegal asbestos abatement activity at 507 Main St.
The group of companies involved in the 507 Main St. project [the companies]:
- MG2 Group, LLC, the property investment group
- Alaris Construction, LLC, the construction company
- Grandis Realty Management, LLC, the building management company
- Main Five Zero Seven, LLC, the building owner
The complaint alleges that during the renovation of the building, the Department of Environmental Protection [MassDEP] was not notified of demolition and renovation work that affected asbestos-containing material. The companies failed to contain, handle, and dispose of the asbestos material legally and safely over a period of several months, despite having experience with asbestos.
Tenants in the building eventually notified MassDEP about the illegal asbestos work. MassDEP stopped the unsafe work.
The two businesses involved in the cleanup on behalf of the companies:
- Advanced Building Systems, Inc. (ABS), the abatement company
- Boston Environmental Corporation (BEC)
The companies hired ABS and BEC to oversee and perform cleanup.
The complaint alleges that the companies and BEC allowed ABS to violate the cleanup plan. This led to areas re-contaminated, including an occupied floor and potentially exposing tenants and workers to asbestos.
Under the settlement, the companies agreed to conduct an extensive asbestos audit of 20 of its properties.
ABS has agreed to pay $125,000 in civil penalties, $25,000 of which will be suspended pending compliance with the consent judgment. It also agreed to several operations and training enhancements.
BEC has agreed to pay $75,000 in civil penalties, $25,000 of which will be suspended for two years pending no further violations of the state’s clean air law and regulations.
