The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has penalized a Salem construction company for hiring an unlicensed asbestos contactor to perform asbestos removal at two sites in 2010.

Groom Construction Co. Inc., of Salem, is facing $39,150 in fines for hiring contractor AEI Environmental LLC of Lynnfield.

The first incident occurred at the Village Street School in Marblehead, where asbestos abatement work was done from January 2010 through March 2010, and again in April 2010. The other incident occurred at the town of Bolton’s public safety building, at 15 Wattaquadock Hill Road, where asbestos abatement work was done in April 2010.

MassDEP determined during an investigation that AEI Environmental was not licensed in Massachusetts to perform asbestos abatement and that neither AEI nor Groom notified MassDEP of asbestos abatement on any of the three occasions when asbestos removal work was done at these sites as is required by law.

"Asbestos is a known carcinogen that can pose significant public health risks," said Eric Worrall, deputy regional director of MassDEP’s Northeast Regional Office in Wilmington. "It is critical that any asbestos abatement work is done by properly-licensed contractors to ensure the protection of public health and the environment."

As a result of the violations, Groom has paid $8,700, and $30,450 will be suspended for a period of 12 months. In addition, Groom will have four of its personnel attend 16 hours of asbestos training within the next 180 days. Groom will also have one staff person attend a 40-hour training course for an asbestos supervisor within 180 days.