A Puget Sound asbestos removal company has been fined over $200,000 after it was revealed that they knowingly exposed workers to hazardous conditions while claiming the site was safe to inspect. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) cited Seattle Environmental Services LLC for ignoring safety rules and putting workers at serious risk. Asbestos is a highly dangerous material that can cause fatal diseases, including asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer. Only certified abatement contractors who follow safety and health rules are allowed to remove and dispose of asbestos-containing building materials. When inspectors were called to a Bellevue home in September, the company owner claimed the job was a general demolition project and that samples tested negative for asbestos. However, evidence at the jobsite indicated that the contractor was treating it like an asbestos removal project. Inspectors found multiple yellow bags designed for asbestos waste filled with wallboard debris inside the house, and a negative air machine operating on the main floor with exhaust tubing running through a sliding door. When the contractor produced test results hours later, it was confirmed that almost 3,000 square feet of walls and ceilings contained asbestos. By that time, three workers had removed the material without wearing proper respirators and without taking decontamination showers. The company has until midnight on February 20, 2026, to file an appeal. L&I encouraged homeowners to protect themselves by reviewing the agency's certified contractors list before hiring an asbestos removal company.
