The United States Environmental Protection Agency has formally declared the city of Libby, Montana a federal public health emergency. In this unanticipated step, the EPA has set aside $125 million to finish cleaning up the asbestos-contaminated city.Before the mine closed in 1990, it was spilling 24,000 pounds of asbestos dust into the air each day. Asbestos particles were not only breathed in by residents outside, but also infiltrated their homes, covering attics, kitchens, and bedrooms with a fine layer of cancerous soot.
Decontaminating a home consists of first erecting a plastic tent over the house. Then EPA officials in protective gear vacuum every surface and crevice inside, and dig up the lawns to get rid of all the hazardous materials. Decontaminating a single home takes several days.
Exposure to asbestos has been linked to several fatal diseases including lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma. Asbestos exposure is the only proven way to contract asbestosis and mesothelioma. Libby, Montana has 40 to 80 times the national average rate of death from asbestos-related diseases.
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