Attorney General Kwame Raoul has announced a settlement over legal action related to alleged improper handling and removal of materials containing asbestos from a grocery store in Taylorville.
The agreement with The Kroger Co. and SSI Services LLC stems from 2022 when asbestos remediation was being performed at the site.
Raoul filed a lawsuit against Kroger and SSI Services alleging renovations at the store were unsafe. The Attorney General claimed chipped floor tiles that contained asbestos were left in areas accessible to the public while the store was open, creating a substantial danger to public health.
Inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause serious and fatal illnesses, including malignant lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis.
“This settlement holds Kroger and SSI Services accountable for jeopardizing the public’s health by exposing shoppers and employees to dangerous materials containing asbestos,” Raoul said. “I’m pleased that this case is resolved and that the abatement has been completed. I remain committed to protecting Illinois residents from those who would jeopardize their health, safety and the environment.”
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency inspected the store and found the broken tiles. The agency ordered the store closed.
Raoul's office said after the lawsuit was filed, the companies fulfilled the required abatement plan, and the IEPA lifted the seal order in December 2022.
The settlement requires that Kroger and SSI Services refrain from future violations and pay $108,000 in civil penalties.
