Epa issues warning about asbestos risk in clear creek, ca

California â€" The Environmental Protection Agency has completed a study about the asbestos exposure risk for people involved in recreational activities at the Clear Creek Management Area in central California. The risk assessment study has found that there is an increased long-term cancer risk for people carrying out certain activities in the area. The increased cancer risk is due to the presence of asbestos. Most of the CCMA is managed by the Federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The area is used by campers, hikers, hunters, off-highway vehicle users, and others. Around 35,000 people visit the site every year. Both the EPA and the BLM have been issuing warnings about the asbestos risk since the early 1990s. The EPA’s soil sampling in several areas at the CCMA site has found that there is asbestos present in soil in some areas. EPA Toxicologist Daniel Stralka said that “Higher dust-generating activities produce higher exposures and, therefore, higher risks.” Asbestos levels measured in CCMA breathing zones are in the range that is seen in more industrial environments, and Stralka says these levels of asbestos are cause for concern. Stralka says that reducing or eliminating activities that generate dust at the CCMA site will reduce asbestos exposure and reduce long-term cancer risks. The CCMA is home to the largest natural deposit of asbestos in the United States. The CCMA itself spans over 75,000 acres, and includes a 31,000 acre natural asbestos deposit. The Atlas Asbestos Mine Superfund Site is also located here. The EPA have estimated that lifetime risks for developing cancer are far above the range that the agency considered acceptable. The study was carried out during 2004 and 2005. Several air samples were collected while EPA employees and contractors participated in recreational activities that are popular for CCMA visitors. Activities included hiking, camping, sleeping in a tent, and riding off-road vehicles. According to the EPA study, activities such as motorcycling, ATV, and SUV use are those most likely to disturb large amounts of asbestos dust, and these activities are responsible for the highest amounts of asbestos exposure. The EPA study also showed that during these types of activities children are generally exposure to more asbestos dust than adults. As a result of the study, approximately 31,000 acres of the CCMA have been closed for all public uses. Rick Cooper, BLM’s Hollister field manager, said, “Based on EPA’s results, we believe a temporary closure of most of the CCMA is in the public interest and we ask for the public’s cooperation. With the closure in place, we will immediately move on with developing a long-term resource management plan for the area with the public’s full involvement.” (Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News)