Judgment Obtained Against IFE & S, Inc. For Asbestos Violations Committed During the Demolition of Tech High School

MILWAUKEE — The State of Wisconsin, by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, has obtained a judgment against an Illinois asbestos abatement contractor, IFE&S, Inc., for a series of civil asbestos violations committed by it.  According to the complaint, filed at the request of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) hired IFE&S to remove the asbestos from the unoccupied Milwaukee Trade & Technical High School building before it was demolished in 2006.  During a series of inspections from October 2005 to February 2006, the DNR observed improper removal of asbestos by IFE&S.  The complaint alleges that IFE&S failed to properly remove, wet and dispose of asbestos in the school. 

On November 29, 2010, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Timothy M. Witkowiak orally granted the State's motion for default judgment and imposed forfeitures and costs totaling $109,807.  Assistant Attorney General Steven Tinker represented the State in this case.