Pennsylvania is the last state in the country to outlaw the use of asbestos in building materials.
That has led to the elimination of the asbestos-containing coating used to protect the windows and doors of buildings.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health and Human Services estimates that there are more than 70,000 people in the state who have died from asbestos-related illnesses since the asbestos industry began using the material.
The Department of Environmental Protection, which oversees the state’s asbestos laws, said in January that it had identified and closed more than 1,100 sites across the state where asbestos was found.
It said that asbestos in homes and businesses is still present in nearly half of all homes, but the vast majority of homes have been sealed or sealed away for decades.
The department says it has found asbestos in over 20,000 homes in the last 15 years.
However, most asbestos-covered homes were not sealed or closed until the early 2000s, when the state switched to a state-run program that uses a new process called retrofit to remove asbestos from buildings.
Since then, the state has spent more than $100 million on retrofit programs in the Pennsylvania economy, according to the department.
Some companies that used asbestos in the building industry are now suing the state, arguing that it should have kept the asbestos.
The lawsuit filed in November by the Pittsburgh Building and Materials Company (PBM) argues that because the Pennsylvania Department has changed its approach to asbestos removal, it is responsible for protecting residents from the chemical and that PBM’s use of the material contributed to the health problems.
The company also alleges that PBFM failed to provide asbestos safety training and that its asbestos-based coatings were not tested to ensure they were free of asbestos.
PBM has said it will pay $1.5 million in a settlement with the state.
The state has also sued PBM to recover costs related to asbestos in two other buildings in the Pittsburgh area.
In 2015, the PBM filed a lawsuit against PBM, the Pennsylvania Office of Building Safety and Environmental Control (POBES), and the Department of Building Services to recover damages from them.
POBES did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
A PBM spokesman said the company will continue to monitor the situation and continue to comply with state requirements to provide safe building practices.
“PBM is committed to the safety of its employees and the communities they serve,” the spokesman said.
