The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has released its anticipated report on asbestos-contaminated vermiculite from Libby, Montana. The Agency found that the vermiculite from Libby contaminated 28 exfoliation sites and may have exposed workers at these sites, their families and people living close to the plants to amphibole asbestos, which is the most carcinogenic family of asbestos fibers.

ATSDR reports that the asbestos was released from the vermiculite during exfoliation, which is a process where the vermiculite is heated and expands. Vermiculite is generally a safe and commonly used mineral, but because Libby’s ore was contaminated with asbestos, the dust from these fibers were released into the air during exfoliation. ATSDR recommends that workers from these plants and people living around them speak with a medical provider about their possible exposures. Asbestos is a highly dangerous mineral and is associated with the development of mesothelioma and lung cancer.

Labels: asbestos, LungCancer, mesothelioma