Emerson College and construction company fined for inadequate asbestos abatement

News release from Massachusetts Atty. Gen. Martha Coakley: Emerson College and Suffolk Construction Company will each pay $250,000 in penalties to resolve alleged violations that they did not adequately test for asbestos during the renovation of a Boston building. In 2007, Emerson hired Suffolk to convert the 13-story Colonial Building into student housing. A consultant said it could not gain access to all areas of the building for asbestos testing, and recommended that further testing be done as soon as access could be obtained. The complaint asserts that both Suffolk and Emerson received this report, but failed to conduct further testing before demolition and renovation. After discovering the scope of the alleged violations, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection halted work at the building until a proper survey was conducted. Asbestos abatement was then conducted.