Controversy Over Asbestos Removal Firm in the Big Apple

The Domino Sugar Plant sits on Brooklyn’s storied waterfront on a 12-acre site on the East River. It’s s centuries old plant and it comes as no surprise that a development firm looking to renovate the site has recently contracted a company for asbestos removal services.

What is surprising – and infuriating – is their specific choice of company.  New York Insulation, based on Queens, has a questionable record (and that’s putting it mildly!) when it comes to both labour and safety related issues.

Barred From Public Contracts
While a spokesperson for the firm notes they’ve been in business for more than two decades and are fully insured, critics point out that the firm has already been barred from doing any public projects because of complaints that it cheated its workers out of their rightful pay — a charge they pleaded guilty to just last year.

That may be of particular concern to unions but their record on safety is just as spotty — with no less than 110 citations for unsafe asbestos remediation practices by the state Department of Labor in the last several years, including failure to wet asbestos to minimize the release of inhalable (or friable) asbestos fibres, improper storage and failure to ensure that employees were wearing protective gear.

The developer claims that violations are “common” for any company in this field. Don’t believe it!

We Take Safety Seriously
At GreenStream, we take all aspects of the asbestos remediation and removal business very serious — especially safety concerns. You can be guaranteed that our asbestos technicians are certified, seasoned experts. Talk to us – we service hospitals, school boards, warehouses, office buildings – anywhere commercial asbestos is found in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) along with private homes. Worker safety is important, because if we can’t take care of our employees, how can we ensure the safety of our work sites and our clients too? Playing fast and loose with asbestos just doesn’t cut it.

If your home or property was built before 1970, it’s likely to contain asbestos in one form or another and you can’t always tell ‘just by looking’. If you suspect the presence of asbestos on your property, you need professional help.

Get peace of mind from GreenStream Environmental – call us for a quote today.

In the Toronto area contact GreenStreamEnvironmental.ca at (416) 818-9414.

Featured in Mike Holmes’ magazine, HGTV’s Income Properties, W Network’s Love It Or List It and chosen by Homestars.com as “Best Toronto Asbestos Removal Company” based on customer ratings and reviews, GreenStream Environmental Services are fully-certified, trusted and insured professionals in the removal and disposal of commercial, industrial, institutional and residential asbestos, vermiculite and mould (hazardous and non-hazardous). Providing emergency service 24/7/365 for all of Toronto and the GTA (North York, Mississauga, Markham, Brampton, Scarborough, Ajax, Oshawa, and beyond) GreenStream has over 40 combined years of experience serving clients such as the City of Toronto, the Toronto District School Board and many more. For a free estimate in Toronto, the GTA and Southern Ontario, call today at 416-818-9414.  You’ll be glad you did.