Children are especially vulnerable to asbestos exposure

ODHS and ATSDR recognize that infants and children might be more vulnerable to exposures than adults in communities faced with environmental contamination.

The effects of asbestos on children are thought to be similar to adults. Children, however, could be especially vulnerable to asbestos exposures due to the following factors:

Children are more likely to disturb fiber-laden soils or indoor dust while playing.

Children are closer to the ground and thus more likely to breathe contaminated soils or dust.

Children are more at risk than people exposed later in life because of the long latency period between exposure and onset of asbestos-related respiratory disease.

The most at-risk children (many who are now adults) are those who were household contacts of workers during the years when the plant was exfoliating Libby vermiculite.

Baghouse dust and waste rock was reportedly not stored out of doors, nor was there outside storage of vermiculite ore during the years vermiculite was processed at the site. There is no known current exposure to vermiculite that could pose a public health hazard for children.