The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) released a report, Oct. 29, detailing the dangers of toxic vermiculite from Libby, Montana that was processed at 28 sites nationwide, including places such as:
- Beltsville, MD
- Dallas, TX
- Dearborn, MI
- Easthampton, MA
- Glendale (Los Angeles), CA
- Hamilton Township, NJ
- Minneapolis, MN
- New Castle, PA
- New Orleans, LA
- Newark, CA
- Phoenix, AZ
- Santa Ana, CA
- St. Louis, MO
- Tampa, FL
- Weedsport, NY
- West Chicago, IL
- Wilder, KY
Sources of Asbestos Diseases — Mesothelioma, Cancers, Asbestosis
These sites may be the sources of mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer and other organ cancers in thousands of employees, family members and residents around the sites.
Vermiculite Exfoliation Risks
These so-called “exfoliation sites” were chosen for intensive evaluation by the ATSDR based on two criteria:
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ordered further action at the site based upon asbestos contamination in place.
- The site processed more than 100,000 tons of asbestos concentrate from Libby’s vermiculite mines.
Exfoliation of the asbestos involved heating the vermiculite to make it expand. This process would result in the release of asbestos fibers into the air, where it could both be inhaled and brought home after it settled on a worker’s clothing.
Extremely High Rates of Asbestos Diseases
Vermiculite contains asbestos, and the rates of asbestos-related diseases among Libby asbestos workers and town residents are alarmingly higher than those among the general population in the U.S. In fact, the mortality rate in Libby from vermiculite asbestos was found to be 40 to 80 times higher than expected by the ATSDR — even taking into account the ATSDR’s knowledge of asbestos disease epidemiology.
The 28 vermiculite exfoliation sites around the U.S. may well have posed the same disease risks as the Libby vermiculite mines.
Source: ATSDR)
If you live near or worked at one of the 28 sites described, or for any other concerns about asbestos exposure, contact mesothelioma centers to speak with a mesothelioma attorney near you.