Libby clean-up delayed after stop work order

Libby, Montana - The Environmental Protection Agency says a stop work order has been leveled against some of the contractors who are cleaning up asbestos contamination in Libby, Montana. According to the EPA Libby Team Leader, Paul Peronard, the stop work order was given on the basis of very serious health and safety issues, and hopes that work will resume within a week, as soon as the problems have been resolved. The EPA announced the stop work order at a recent Libby community meeting, saying that the order was issued because Air, Soil and Water used river water in portable pumps being used to carry out work, and also because they did not use adequate respiratory protection. In the meantime, clean-up project managers have explained that samples are still being taken in certain areas, to determine the extent of the contamination and determine the size and scope of the clean-up measures required for locations such as the Stimson Mill site and the Burlington-Northern Santa Fe yards. However, the subject of sampling at the W.R. Grace site has not revealed any new information, and residents have become concerned that the company itself may end up sampling its own sites. Paul Peronard says the EPA is beginning to finalize clean-up plans for some of the smaller areas in Libby. “We’re going to start working at some of those areas where we’ve done extensive clean-ups, we’ve got a pretty good handle on what’’ going on there. We’re still 2 or 3 years out from getting to final decisions on the larger Libby.” So far, EPA-supervised clean-up of asbestos and vermiculite has been carried out on around 1,000 homes and business sites. This year, 150 clean-ups are so far scheduled, as well as two creeks. One problem that may delay completion of the clean-up in Libby is the EPA’s recent discovery that Libby soil is a significant source of vermiculite exposure for many residents. In fact, outdoor activities may pose a higher risk than indoor activities, especially in homes where vermiculite and asbestos is well sealed. The results came from a study which measured asbestos exposure levels for a range of both indoor and outdoor activities, from watching TV to mowing the lawn. The EPA tested these activities at a range of different locations, including both clean and un-treated sites. Testers were equipped with air filters near their chests that collected airborne samples, to approximate the types of airborne particles participants would be exposed to. The results indicated that outdoor activities had a higher exposure risk, but that Libby residents weren’t being significantly exposed from activities such as walking around town. (Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News)