Government report addresses risk of asbestos exposure post-Katrina

The demolition of homes and other buildings damaged by Hurricane Katrina may pose a public health risk by exposing people to asbestos dust, according to a recent report by the U.S. Government and Accountability Office (GAO). Asbestos has been linked to mesothelioma cancer and other diseases.
The report, which addresses the work of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in evaluating and controlling public health risks post-Katrina, notes the EPA is not monitoring the air in New Orleans neighborhoods where building demolition and renovation activities are ongoing, including the Ninth Ward. Air monitors would help determine whether asbestos fibers are being released into the air from demolition projects.

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