How to Report Asbestos Neglect

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Updated: March 29, 2019

Explore this Article Raising a Concern in the UK Reporting a Violation in the US Reporting Neglect to State or Local Authorities Ask a Question Related Articles References

In the past, asbestos was a widely used material in the construction and manufacturing industries. Lightweight, fireproof, and naturally occurring, it was thought to be a miracle material. But by the 1970s, the scientific community had made the connection between exposure to asbestos and mesothelioma, a rare, incurable, and serious type of lung cancer. Since then, asbestos has become ever more tightly regulated. In most circumstances, disposal must be handled by licensed and trained professionals. If disposed of improperly, it poses a serious health hazard to anyone exposed. Should you suspect the illegal or negligent disposal or handling of asbestos, you should report it to the EPA (or HSE in the UK) and relevant state and local authorities immediately.

Raising a Concern in the UK

  1. 1
    Speak with someone in charge of the facility. If you notice dangerous asbestos in a building or site where you work, immediately notify the person in charge of the facility. Once notified, ask them about their plan of action to remedy the dangerous condition.[1]
  2. 2
    Talk with your trade union representative. If your employer has not remedied the dangerous condition after your notification, speak with your trade union's safety representative. As unions are large organizations with considerable bargaining power, they can often get the employer to remedy the condition.[2]
  3. 3
    Determine which enforcement authority to contact. There are two ways to raise a concern with enforcement authorities with respect to asbestos neglect. If the asbestos is at a large or public facility, you'll report it to the Health and Safety Executive, or HSE. If the asbestos is in a smaller building or a private facility, you'll report it to your Local Authority.[3]
    • The HSE has jurisdiction over areas like mines, construction sites, hospitals and schools, factories, farms, and government facilities.
    • Local Authorities have jurisdiction over areas like homes, offices, pubs, churches, retailers, and hotels.
  4. 4
    Submit your concern. The process of submitting a concern is simple. All you'll need is your own contact information, as much information about the dangerous condition as you can find, and information about who is causing the problem.

Reporting a Violation in the US

  1. 1
    Go to the EPA’s website. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforces Federal environmental regulations. The EPA derives its authority to regulate asbestos through the Clean Air Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, and the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act. In order to comply with EPA regulations, asbestos must be handled carefully and in specific ways. The negligent handing of asbestos is a violation of regulations. Therefore, if you witness anyone handing asbestos negligently, you can report it to the EPA.[4]
  2. 2
    Give as much information about the violator as you can. Do your best to record all of the identifying details about the suspected violator, including the name of the individual or company, the violator’s address, and the date of the incident or when you witnessed the incident.[5]
    • If any of this information is unavailable, you can still submit the complaint. Furthermore, any other information you could give, such as license plate numbers or makes and models of cars, you should share it with the regulators.
  3. 3
    Decide if you want to give a tip anonymously. Often, the witness to a violation is involved with the organization that is doing the violating. It is understandable if you fear retaliation from your employer or are nervous about legally incriminating yourself.[6]
    • It is within your rights to give a tip anonymously, but remember; the regulators may need or want to ask you about other details in order to resolve their case. Anonymity can come at the expense of justice.
  4. 4
    Collect information about the violation itself. The complaint will ask for several specific pieces of information about the instance of neglect you witnessed. You should try to find out:[7]
    • If the violation is still occurring, and if there is any institutional involvement (governmental, corporate, etc.).
    • If it is accidental or intentional, and how you might categorize the violation. For instance, if it was an illegal dump, a spill, or perhaps even concealment.
  5. 5
    Describe the details and location of the incident. The last item on the complaint will be an area for you to give a narrative account of exactly what it was you saw. This should be the most detailed portion of the entire complaint, allowing you to put the entire incident in context. For instance:[8]
    • If you saw a person creating the harm, this is the area where you give a physical description of that person, give an account of what they said and their attitudes.
    • You should give a detailed physical description of the site, including how to get there, the overall appearance of the area, and its proximity to other people.

Reporting Neglect to State or Local Authorities

  1. 1
    Find the environmental regulatory body in your state. Most states have at least minimal regulations regarding the handling and disposal of asbestos within their jurisdiction, and some have more stringent regulations than even the Federal Government. Once you’ve made your report with the EPA, you can tip off the authorities in your state.
  2. 2
    Learn how you go about notifying them of a violation. Most of the state environmental agencies have a link where you can report violations right on their home page, so it shouldn’t be too hard for you to find it.
    • Louisiana’s, for example, is on the left side in the middle of the page.
  3. 3
    Give them a detailed account of what you witnessed. Again, you’ll need to give the regulatory agency information about where you saw the asbestos, who was there, what type of activity was ongoing, and the general condition of the site.
    • Although it might seem redundant to file two reports, it’s a worth the extra time. That way, both regulatory entities will be aware of the problematic behavior, making it less likely an environmental miscreant slips through the cracks because an enforcement agency wasn’t aware of their record.

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