Is there asbestos and/or silica in the dust, and what are the long-term health effects?

The dust in the air is currently being monitored by environmental health officials. It is recommended that those in the affected area wear appropriate respirators to avoid prolonged exposure to any problematic particles such as asbestos or silica. It is important to keep exposure to asbestos or silica to a minimum to avoid potential long-term health effects.

Long-term health effects from silica and asbestos do not appear for many years and even decades, even after relatively high levels of exposure. These effects are dose-related—that is, the risk increases with increasing exposure. They are very unlikely to result from a single, high-level exposure, or from a short period of exposure to lower levels. But there is a potential risk from inhaling these dusts, so until dust sampling measurements can better define the level of asbestos fibers and other dust in the air, the best advice is to avoid or limit dust exposure as much as possible.