Washington Health Department reports on NAER asbestos project

Washington Health Department report on NAER asbestos project

Site evaluations are progressing in two phases:

PHASE 1: ATSDR has selected 28 sites for the first phase of reviews on the basis of the following criteria:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandated further action at the site based upon contamination in place; or

The site was an exfoliation facility that processed more than 100,000 tons of vermiculite ore from Libby mine. (Exfoliation, a processing method in which ore is heated and “popped,” is expected to have released more asbestos than any other processing methods.)

A future report will summarize findings at the Phase 1 sites and include recommendations for evaluating the more than 200 remaining sites nationwide that received Libby vermiculite.

PHASE 2: ATSDR will continue to evaluate former Libby vermiculite processing sites in accordance with the findings and recommendations contained in the summary report. ATSDR will also identify further actions as necessary to protect public health.

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has prepared this health consultation in cooperation with ATSDR. A part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ATSDR is the principal federal public health agency responsible for health issues related to hazardous waste. This health consultation was prepared in accordance with methodologies and guidelines developed by ATSDR.

The purpose of this health consultation is to identify and prevent harmful human health effects resulting from exposure to hazardous substances in the environment. In general, health consultations focus on specific health issues so that DOH can respond to requests from concerned residents or agencies for health information on hazardous substances.

DOH evaluates sampling data collected from a hazardous waste site, determines whether exposures have occurred or could occur, reports any potential harmful effects, and recommends actions to protect public health.

The findings in this report are relevant to conditions at the site during the time of this health consultation, but they should not necessarily be relied on if land use or site conditions change in the future.

Courtesy of the Washington Department of Health