The U.S. Department of Environment Protection (DEP) has filed an asbestos lawsuit against a Pennsylvania contractor. The lawsuit alleges that Lovett Contracting improperly removed nearly 3,000 feet of asbestos insulation from a commercial building and failed to properly dispose of the materials.

According to the DEP lawsuit, the contractors failed to inspect the building and take proper measures to keep asbestos fibers from escaping into the air. Inhaling the airborne fibers can lead to the development of serious diseases, including asbestosis and mesothelioma.

Asbestos has been banned in building materials in the United States, though it can still be found in older buildings. Thousands of asbestos and mesothelioma lawsuits have been filed against companies by workers who developed asbestos-related diseases after being exposed to asbestos on the job.