| | | | | nationwide, of which the following are some examples. |
| Asbestos is the term for a group of minerals which | | | | · The Coalinga Asbestos Mine, Coalinga, California |
| have rather amazing qualities. They are heat resistant, | | | | · The Vermont Asbestos Group mine on Belvedere |
| do not conduct electricity, block sound, and resist | | | | Mt. In Vermont |
| chemical change. As well, they are fibrous and very | | | | · Chicago Milwaukee Corporation (CMC) Bozeman |
| durable and strong. | | | | Asbestos Facility in Montana |
| For about a century until the 1970s or 1980s, asbestos | | | | W.R. Grace & Co. in Montana |
| was mined worldwide and used in many industries. | | | | In August, 2004, clean up began at a mine at Libby, |
| Family homes, schools, and most buildings of any type | | | | Montana, which was blowing asbestos into a power |
| had asbestos in insulation for electrical wires, in drywall, | | | | substation in Salt Lake City, Utah. For forty years |
| flooring, ceiling tiles, and plumbing. The people who | | | | asbestos had been processed nearby at Libby. One |
| worked in industries using asbestos, or who worked in | | | | of the large corporations involved is W.R. Grace & Co. |
| asbestos mines, were exposed daily to the tiny | | | | This company had previously mined vermiculite |
| asbestos fibers which easily become airborne. From | | | | (another useful mineral used in insulation) which |
| the air, they get stuck in clothing, hair, shoes, food and | | | | occurred here mixed in with asbestos. |
| drinks. So they were breathed in daily, and ingested in | | | | Grace has been the subject of over 70,000 lawsuits |
| meals. Family members were exposed to the fibers | | | | involving mesothelioma and asbestosis, and has been |
| brought home in clothing etc. | | | | investigated by a U.S. Grand Jury for “crimes” |
| Most asbestos mines have been closed down. But | | | | committed at its Libby vermiculite mine. |
| wherever asbestos was extracted from the earth or | | | | PacifiCorp (previously called Utah Power and Light) |
| processed in nearby plants, the fibers remain in dust, in | | | | has an agreement with the E.P.A. to clean out |
| the soil, blown by the wind, posing a hazard to local | | | | asbestos from the substation in downtown Salt Lake |
| residents. All those sites need to be cleaned up and | | | | City. They will be excavating and disposing of about |
| the asbestos safely disposed of. The Federal | | | | 3,900 cubic yards of dust and soil contaminated by |
| Government has been active in this, in particular the | | | | asbestos. |
| Environmental Protective Agency (EPA). | | | | In March, 2008, Grace agreed to pay $250 million for |
| There are many abandoned asbestos mines across | | | | government cleanup at the Libby mine. That is the |
| the U.S. and in other countries such as Britain, Australia | | | | largest fine every imposed under the E.P.A.’s |
| and South Africa. In Britain and Australia, cleanup is | | | | Superfund cleanup program. |
| underway. In South Africa, it has not begun at all and | | | | Asbestos cleanup will clearly be ongoing for quite |
| from many old mines, blue asbestos fibers (the most | | | | some time yet. It can be very expensive, as it requires |
| deadly type of fibers) blow every day on to nearby | | | | specially-trained workers, and must be done to a high |
| communities. Those mines were owned and run by | | | | standard to make each contaminated area safe again. |
| various international companies, including one owned by | | | | If you have been diagnosed with asbestosis or |
| Stephen Schmidheiny, a Swiss environmentalist who | | | | mesothelioma, the two deadly diseases caused mostly |
| began the World Business Council for Sustainable | | | | by asbestos fibers, you may be able to obtain |
| Development. | | | | compensation for your medical costs, pain and |
| Recent Clean-up Efforts | | | | suffering, and perhaps more. The first step would be |
| In this country, the U.S. Geological Survey has | | | | to arrange a free consultation with an experienced |
| conducted a long project to identify and map asbestos | | | | asbestos attorney. He or she would assess your |
| mines and the occurrences of asbestos, whether or | | | | situation and advise you of your legal rights and |
| not they have been mined. The E.P.A. is now | | | | options. |
| supervising a variety of Superfund cleanup projects | | | | |