WR Grace & Asbestos: Background (Cont.)

Addtional Background: Before leaving the site in 1989, W.R. Grace reportedly cleaned the former exfoliating building and had a contractor collect air samples from inside on-site structures. The results showed no asbestos. After W.R. Grace terminated operations at the site, a cocoa husk mulch company operated in the former vermiculite processing building until 2001.

Currently, the site is unoccupied. Along with a few homes and farms that surround the facility, the area is a mix of agricultural, undeveloped, and residential properties. The closest community is the Village of Weedsport, which lies about a quarter-mile from the site. According to US Census data, 1,267 people lived within one-mile of the site in 1990.

Recent EPA soil sampling showed some asbestos in soil at the facility. A fence around the site, however, makes human exposure to asbestos from contaminated soils unlikely. In addition, the site is covered with vegetation. Samples from residential soils near the site contained either very low levels of asbestos or no asbestos.

Exposure to asbestos is known to cause serious diseases such as mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer and asbestosis.

Weitz & Luxenberg is a leading plaintiffs' law firm that has represented people affected by mesothelioma for over 20 years. Men and women diagnosed with mesothelioma caused by asbestos exposure may be entitled to compensation from the companies responsible for their disease.

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