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Copper River Campus, owner and manager of the buildings used by Copper River Seafoods, Inc. in downtown Anchorage, Alaska, has been fined $70,000 and charged with violating the federal Clean Air Act for allowing the release of toxic asbestos into the air and for exposing employees to friable asbestos. According to an article in the Cordova Times, the company purchased the Anchorage property and the buildings sitting on it in 2009, totally aware that there were asbestos-containing materials within the walls, in floor and ceiling tiles , and elsewhere inside the structures that house the seafood company. They were also aware that special contractors needed to be hired for handling asbestos on the premises before any sort of renovation or demolition occurred. They ignored these rules, says the state of Alaska. The infractions occurred in 2010 when officials at Copper River Campus instructed an employee of Copper River Seafoods to demolish an older building on the property, and then asked other employees to begin renovation work on the newer building, which included removing the flooring on the first level. The tiles on that floor contained asbestos. According to U.S. Attorney Karen Loeffler, the manager who gave the demolition instructions did not know about the presence of asbestos. The employee did not recognize the presence of the material either and went ahead with the demolition, hence putting himself in danger of inhaling airborne asbestos fibers, which can cause asbestosis and mesothelioma . Once the Environmental Protection Agency learned of the activity, they sent an inspector to the property. The inspector determined that “Copper River Campus negligently placed employees of Copper River Seafoods and others in imminent danger of serious bodily injury, as they had no specialized training on asbestos removal , nor were they wearing personal protective equipment.” Anyone involved may have suffered serious illness due to asbestos exposure , the inspector added.