Trace levels of asbestos detected in off-site soil indicate toxic fibers migrated

Trace levels of asbestos found in off-site soil

Although anecdotal evidence from a former worker suggests stoner rock containing asbestos from the Spokane site was used by some community members in the past, the extent of this practice is not known.

Stoner rock that was transported off-site for community use may have resulted in asbestos exposures in the yard, and perhaps in the home through inhalation of dust tracked indoors.

Some yards near Western Mineral Products vermiculite expansion facility in Minnesota, where stoner rock was used as fill, had asbestos levels in soil as high as 10 percent. The stoner rock was also commonly used in gardens and as a surfacing material for driveways.

Emissions from the facility could have deposited asbestos in nearby yards or homes, further exposing residents through inhalation of re-suspended dust.

No information on levels of contamination in house dust exists to eliminate or confirm this possibility, but trace levels of asbestos detected in off-site soil indicate that asbestos fibers traveled off-site by some means.

Courtesy of the Washington Department of Health