What Are Asbestos Superfund Sites?
Organic food is food grown and cultivated without pesticides. It is how nature intended food to be. Unfortunately, not everything that naturally occurs is healthy. Consider asbestos. While that sounds like something that was concocted in a lab, asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was once thought to be the perfect additive to include in building materials to provide installation.
After decades of vital scientific research, asbestos has been determined to be a significant carcinogen. That has led to federal regulations outlawing the use of asbestos. It means mitigation efforts to remove exposed asbestos in homes, schools, apartments, and office buildings. There is also an effort to clean up asbestos at the origin site. These sites have been designated as superfund sites.
In 1980, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) became empowered to take action when an area of land has been found to contain high levels of hazardous materials. Some of these sites are closed industrial sites where chemicals used in manufacturing were not properly disposed of. Others are the actual mines and quarries where asbestos was dug up.
Unfortunately, for many workers who were exposed to asbestos decades ago, the occurrence of mesothelioma is a form of cancer that can be highly debilitating and fatal. When mesothelioma has been diagnosed and attributed to asbestos exposure, there could be a responsibility assigned to the owners of the worksite for not providing adequate safety measures or informing workers of the dangers.
In those scenarios, you might need to speak to an attorney with experience with these types of personal injury claims. The attorneys at Schweickert Ganassin Krzak Rundio, LLP have this exact type of experience helping clients suffering from asbestos exposure and looking for a remedy.
What Qualifies as a Superfund Site?
The EPA is charged with identifying Superfund sites. That consideration is based on whether that area poses an immediate and significant health risk. If a site poses a risk, it is listed on the National Priorities List (NPL). According to the EPA, there are currently 1,341 sites. Among them, these are the asbestos-contaminated superfund sites that pose a significant health risk:
- Torch Lake Superfund Site, Houghton County, Michigan
- Ambler Asbestos Piles, Ambler, Pennsylvania
- BoRit Asbestos, Ambler, Pennsylvania
- Carter Carburetor Superfund Site, St. Louis, Missouri
- North Ridge Estates Superfund Site, Klamath Falls, Oregon
- Johns Manville Corporation, Waukegan, Illinois
- Powhatan Mining Company (POWMINCO) Site, Powhatan, Maryland
- Libby Asbestos Site, Libby, Montana
When a Superfund site is identified, plans are implemented to clean up the site. There are strict safety protocols that must be followed by the workers charged with the cleanup task. The current cleanup plans involve buying the toxic waste and covering it with organic soil to “lock it away.” Unfortunately, this might not be the most effective disposal method.
A recent study conducted by researchers at Standford University finds that this method might actually increase the likelihood of human exposure to asbestos. The study found the following:
“They found that dissolved organic matter changes the electric charge on asbestos particles and makes them less sticky, thereby enabling them to move faster through the soil. The work disproves the prevailing theory that asbestos fibers cannot easily move through soil – an assumption made partly because of the mineral’s hair-like shape.”
This could mean that people living around these sites might be exposed to asbestos and deal with health complications. This could be another incident where someone needs to be held accountable and another reason to seek legal advice.
Beyond the Superfund Sites
Not all risks of asbestos exposure come from a Superfund site. As My State Line recently reported, a fire at the Illinois Cabinet Company triggered an alert from the EPA about exposure to asbestos that was triggered from the fire. The company was in operation from 1906 to 1973, before the regulations were put in place to stop the use of asbestos.
Technically, if your home was built before 1970, there could be asbestos in the building materials, but those only become a hazard if they are exposed, such as through breaking a wall or some other type of demolition.
If you or someone in your family has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestos has recently been discovered in your home or workplace, you need to talk with Schweickert Ganassin Krzak Rundio, LLP. We understand the complexities of these cases and have helped many families find the maximum compensation they are due. Call our offices today to set up a consultation to discuss your options.
