Further Asbestos Testing To Take Place - By: Katie Kelley

The number of sites requiring cleanup due to potential asbestos contamination continues to grow. Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it would require a site in Elyra, Ohio, to cleanup up a building site which had burned down over two years ago. The site, which covers approximately two city blocks, once housed a General Industries building; later, the structure was consumed in a blaze that leveled the whole building. After a few tests, the EPA documented asbestos contamination with a few different materials, though the building owner claims no knowledge of any contaminated materials. However, asbestos particulate matter could be present on any of the remaining debris: bricks, floor tiles, roofing and any remaining insulation. The EPA has mandated the site be cleaned promptly so as to prevent further exposure by anyone coming in contact with the site or near the site.

According to one report, the owner of building site has made several statements claiming that there is no contamination present in the building materials nor in the resulting debris. This evidence stands in stark contrast to the EPA's own findings, when asbestos evidence was discovered less than two weeks after the fire. To this end, the EPA wants to be certain that there is no contamination of building materials and has elected to take site samples on their own. The owner of the site has repeatedly indicated his interest in cleaning the site, but nothing has been done as of yet. Thus, the EPA has decided to move forward with cleaning the site and taking samples of the materials. EPA contractors have been on site with protective gear, including hazard suits and respirators, collecting additional burned materials and samples. No visible asbestos emissions have been reported at this time.

The EPA stepping in to clean potentially contaminated industrial sites is nothing new. Two high-profile cleanups have been recently announced in several states including Montana and Kentucky. EPA teams in charge of cleaning up Libby, Montana, worked diligently to remove much of the vermiculite dust contaminated with asbestos that covered the town. After years of nearby mining endeavors, much of the area had been completely covered the contaminated particulate matter, causing hundreds of asbestos-related illnesses, including mesothelioma cancer and asbestosis. A site cleanup was ordered in Kentucky after a now defunct electroplating facility was found to have contained asbestos-contaminated materials after it was demolished. The site was deemed an environmental emergency clean-up site as there was essentially unrestricted access to this tainted site.

Asbestos exposure often leads to serious health concerns, including asbestosis, respiratory problems, and mesothelioma cancer. Any of these conditions could result in a serious and debilitating condition, sincerely changing the quality of life for an individual. Many times, those exposed to harmful chemicals look into developing a mesothelioma lawsuit to potentially recoup some of their losses.

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