Press Release  AG's Office Secures Up To $220,000 Settlement From Two Asbestos Services Companies For Violating Asbestos Regulations

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (AGO) announced today that the Suffolk County Superior Court has entered Consent Judgments against asbestos services companies Clean Slate Inc., formerly known as Air Safe, Inc. (“Air Safe”), and Safety Environmental Consultants, Inc (“SEC”). The Consent Judgments resolve allegations that the companies violated the Massachusetts Clean Air Act and state asbestos regulations during the handling and removal of asbestos-containing insulation from the basements of two homes in Berlin and Marlborough, resulting in dangerous asbestos-containing material being left at both homes for days.  

Under the terms of the agreements, Air Safe will pay up to $120,000 in penalties to the Commonwealth, with $60,000 of that amount suspended for one year, to be waived contingent upon the company’s retraining of all relevant employees and submission of enhanced notice of future asbestos abatement projects to MassDEP for one year. SEC will pay up to $100,000 in penalties, with $35,000 suspended for one year, to be waived contingent upon the timely payment of its civil penalties and submission of monthly asbestos clearance reports to MassDEP for one year. Of the total settlement funds from both companies, $100,000 will be deposited into the Massachusetts Environmental Justice Fund to support on-the-ground projects that address environmental harms in disadvantaged communities across the Commonwealth.     

These Consent Judgments are the result of a lawsuit filed by the AGO alleging that Air Safe failed to fully remediate asbestos-containing material located in the basements of the homes in Berlin and Marlborough, and SEC, which had the responsibility of surveying both sites to ensure that no asbestos-containing material had been left unremedied, failed to detect visible asbestos-containing material at both locations. According to the AGO, SEC reported that Air Safe’s work was complete at both locations and allowed residents to return to the contaminated basements, potentially exposing the residents to hazardous asbestos-containing materials.   

Asbestos is a hazardous material and known human carcinogen regulated under the Clean Air Act. It is used as fireproofing in a wide variety of building materials, from roofing and flooring, to siding and wallboard, to caulking and insulation, and is especially prevalent in older construction. If asbestos is improperly handled or maintained, fibers can be released into the air and inhaled, devastating the lungs, causing scarring, malfunction, and potentially life-threatening illnesses, including asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. Once disturbed, asbestos fibers can remain airborne and therefore breathable for up to 72 hours. Because of the serious health risks associated with asbestos, there is no safe level of exposure. 

 The Environmental Justice Trust Fund was established in 2024 and supports projects that address environmental harms in disadvantaged communities across the Commonwealth. Funded through civil penalties obtained in judgments and settlements by the AGO’s Environmental Protection Division, the Trust benefits community health by addressing economic, environmental, and health-related burdens.  

The matter was handled by Assistant Attorney General Zeus Smith of the AGO’s Environmental Protection Division, with assistance from Environmental Analysts Juan Rascon and Eric Gomes, Asbestos Program Section Chief Christa Cronk of MassDEP’s Central Regional Office, and Anne Blackman and Rebecca Gobeil of MassDEP’s Office of General Counsel.  

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