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September 30, 2009 in City
EPA continues asbestos testing in West Central
Additional asbestos testing is taking place today near W.R. Grace’s former Zonolite factory in Spokane.
During soil testing in June, the Environmental Protection Agency found low levels of the cancer-causing fibers in residential yards near the former Vermiculite Northwest factory at 1318 N. Maple St.
Now, EPA officials want to know if routine activities – such as shoveling dirt or raking – could cause the asbestos fibers to become airborne.
“We’re simulating what people could do on their property,” said Greg Weigel, on-scene coordinator for EPA’s environmental clean-up program. “What we’ve learned from other sites, including Libby, Montana, is that even low levels of asbestos in soil could pose a risk if the asbestos is susceptible to becoming airborne.”
For 22 years, Vermiculite Northwest produced Zonolite, an asbestos-tainted attic insulation. Rail cars brought vermiculite ore from Libby to the plant, where furnaces heated the ore until it puffed up into lightweight insulation.
W.R. Grace closed Vermiculite Northwest in 1973, after a whistle-blower tipped state inspectors to high asbestos levels inside. Spokane County’s road department bought the property, which was capped with asphalt as part of the cleanup.
Earlier this year, EPA declared a public health emergency in Libby, where contamination from a now-closed vermiculite mine has been cited in the deaths of more than 200 people. Thousands more are believed to suffer from asbestos-related illnesses, including asbestosis and mesothelioma, a cancer of the lung lining.
EPA is testing two yards and some county-owned property in Spokane. Initial results should be available within six weeks, but additional risk calculations will be needed, Weigel said.
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arroyoribera on February 05 at 11:12 p.m.
Has there been a follow-up on this article and this EPA/DOH study of the WR Grace asbestos contaminated site at 1318 N. Maple Street in Spokane now that we know that the county bought the site to build facilities related to their proposed 1/2 billion dollar new jail? Ever wonder about that huge fenced in “parking lot” across the street from the welfare office on North Maple? This location is the #31 WR Grace asbestos hotspot in the US. Tens of thousands of tons of Libby, Montana ore contaminated with the same asbestos that has ravaged Libby with cancers were brought into this site to be popped at 1000 plus degree temperatures to create Zonolite insulation materials. After reaching an agreement with the EPA and the Washington Department of Health, the site was paved over in 2007. But the plan is to build on the site, stirring up the large amounts of these deadly carcinogenic microscopic fibers. And all that for facilities related to a massive expensive jail expansion that we can’t afford and don’t need. Talk about a lack of common sense and civic minded concern.
http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/oehas/pubs/vermiculitenw04.pdf
http://www.sao.wa.gov/auditreports/auditreportfiles/ar1004183.pdf
See page 81 Note - Contingencies and Litigations
http://www.ewg.org/report/asbestos-hotspots
David Brookbank