Asbestos-Contaminated Debris Found After Indiana Warehouse Fire

Debris contaminated with asbestos was found in school yards, playgrounds, day cares and private residences following a large fire at a former recycling plant in Indiana earlier this month. The cancer-causing substance, once widely used in insulation material prior to the 1980s, rained down on some parts of Richmond, Indiana, and nearby Ohio during the blaze. “Due to the weightless nature of the substance, these materials were lifted into the air as the smoke rose and fell back to the ground as debris,” according to the Environmental Protection Agency. “It is essential not to remove or disturb any debris believed to be from the fire as these materials may contain asbestos, a substance that releases microscopic fibers when disturbed.” Contractors removed debris from 16 schools, 10 day cares, one community center and two parks in both states. EPA officials will soon begin debris collection at residential properties. Safely handling and disposing of asbestos is important because the material could put workers and the public at risk of exposure that may lead to an asbestos-related disease such as mesothelioma cancer, lung cancer and asbestosis.  Asbestos is a deadly carcinogen that should only be handled by licensed asbestos abatement professionals. Serious fines and penalties could result if any of the many laws that regulate asbestos are broken. Fire Releases Toxic Chemical Cloud The fire started at the former My Way Trading warehouse on Apr...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Asbestos Exposure Source Type: news