Libby, Mont. Air is Cleaner, But Asbestos Risks Still Lurking, Says EPA
Just yesterday, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a preliminary study of the now infamous town of Libby, Montana (and its neighboring town, Troy) stating that while considerable progress has been made in the town’s cleanup, there are still health risks in some areas. So far, the town’s asbestos cleanup has cost upwards of $370 million, according to the Associated Press.
The report comes more than a decade after the EPA started cleanup operations in Libby. And according to health officials, more than 400 people have been killed over the last several decades in Libby.
According to the EPA, Libby’s once-deadly air is now safe. However, the agency did say that some homes already addressed by cleanup crews may still be at risk and might need to be revisited. Health officials suspect that these areas may have been cross-contaminated by homeowners who inadvertently tracked in asbestos from areas not cleaned up by work crews.
The new EPA study also suggests that the cancer risk from Libby’s asbestos is fairly similar to the health risks posed by other types of asbestos, whereas previous assertions by scientists have stated that Libby’s unique strain of asbestos was hundreds of times more toxic than asbestos found elsewhere.
The town of Libby was once known as the home of a massive vermiculite mine. Owned by W.R. Grace, the mine operated for decades in the early 20th century before being closed down. It was later discovered that the vermiculite was contaminated with asbestos, and the decades of mining released the hazardous material into the air. The contaminated vermiculite was also used extensively in Libby and Troy in gardens, homes and as backfill.
In 2009, EPA administrator Lisa Jackson declared a public health emergency in Libby, which was the first of its kind under the federal Superfund law that guides the cleanup of contaminated areas.
Approximately 1,500 people who have lived or worked in Libby are being treated for asbestos-related illnesses, including mesothelioma, through a local clinic.
