Asbestos Standards to be Tough in Libby

The federal cleanup of a town notorious for asbestos exposure will be subject to rigorous benchmarks unlike any prior efforts. Industry leaders worry this could lead to expensive, unnecessary cleanups across the country.

According to Bloomberg Businessweek, the Environmental Protection Agency's new proposal for the northwest Montana town of Libby, where asbestos dust has killed hundreds of people, would be 5,000 times tougher than the standard used in past cleanups addressing airborne asbestos.

This new standard could also affect dozens of other states that received tainted vermiculite from the W.R. Grace & Co. mines in Montana. The new regulations suggest airborne asbestos concentrations exceeding two-100,000ths of a fiber per-cubic-centimeter pose a health risk.

About Libby, Montana

Known as one of the most asbestos-contaminated towns in America, Libby has been the focus of two documentaries and four books. Every American state once received asbestos shipments from companies set up in the small town. Asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral, was widely available in Libby and quickly became a top industry before asbestos-related diseases came to light.

It’s suggested that more than 274 deaths in and around Libby can be attributed to asbestos exposure.

Since 2000, the EPA has overseen removal of asbestos-contaminated resources from Libby and more than $370 million has been spent to clean up the town of 2,600. Prolonged exposure to asbestos can cause mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the lungs. Despite the historic prevalence of asbestos and inherent public health risks, Montana is not the top state in terms of deaths caused by mesothelioma. Have you or a loved one been exposed to asbestos and subsequently been diagnosed with mesothelioma? Call Sokolove Law today for a free legal consultation regarding a mesothelioma lawsuit.

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