Asbestos complicates development of hike and bike trails
Asbestos fire blocks used in an old railroad trestle across the Kanawha River in West Virginia are causing a problem as Charleston officials try to incorporate the trestle into a planned hike and bike trail. Asbestos blocks along the trestle have helped prevent the spread of fires, but they are beginning to fall off and all are deteriorating. They will have to be removed before the hike and bike trail can be developed.
When asbestos-containing materials deteriorate, the asbestos fibers can be released into the air, exposing people to the dangerous fibers. When the fibers are inhaled, they become lodged in the lung tissue and can cause mesothelioma, lung cancer and other serious diseases.
Officials are also concerned about whether creosote, used as a preservative on the trestle’s timbers, could have contaminated soil along the proposed path.
For the full story, go to the Charleston Gazette.
