Libby cleanup effective; questions linger
Libby area residents got a measure of reassurance last week as the much-anticipated report about the toxicity of Libby’s unique amphibole asbestos was released.
Ever since the widespread death and disease caused by toxic asbestos dust from the W.R. Grace & Co. vermiculite mine came to light in 1999, Libby area residents have been dealing with the aftermath. Thousands have asbestos-related health problems, and more than 2,000 property owners have had their lives disrupted as crews moved in to clean up homes, businesses and yards where vermiculite was used as insulation or fertilizer.
The lingering question has been how effective the cleanup has been.
The report produced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency revealed that asbestos cleanup efforts have been quite effective in reducing both the cancer and non-cancer risks in Libby and Troy. And it shows that some 400 properties and areas that haven’t been cleaned still pose a risk of adverse health impacts.
The logical fix now is to have those properties cleaned.
A baseline for safe containment was revealed, which will allow the EPA to determine how much contaminated material must be removed and how much can safely be left behind. The report concludes that a person safely can breathe up to 90 fibers per cubic meter every day for a lifetime without adverse effects.
There are other questions, too.
EPA officials told The Western News of Libby that properties cleaned after 2006 meet the 90-fiber benchmark, but about 1,000 properties cleaned prior to 2006 will require additional investigation to determine if further cleanup is required. A different sampling method was used in earlier years.
Another big question is how the cleanup will move forward once the $250 million settlement from Grace runs out sometime next year. Cleanup costs already have topped $400 million.
EPA officials say the financial responsibility for cleanup and ongoing maintenance will fall to the EPA’s Superfund program. But federal funding can be a fickle thing.
There’s also the conundrum of a federal report stating Libby is a safe community while the federal Public Health Emergency status remains intact in Libby. And if the emergency status is removed, what happens to those who will yet get sick, given the 40-year latency period of asbestos exposure?
The final chapter of Libby’s asbestos saga now must be written, and it will take a collaborative effort of local, state and federal officials to do that.
Editorials represent the majority opinion of the Daily Inter Lake’s editorial board.