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Amid move to end Montana cleanup, a few asbestos left behind

By MATTHEW BROWNAssociated Press

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) Federal officials say their particular final analysis of a Montana community wracked with a deadly asbestos contamination shows any high priced as well as much-criticized cleanup is working, although several 700 properties possess but to become investigated and also concerns linger over asbestos left behind.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provides expended more than $540 million getting rid of asbestos throughout and around the town regarding Libby in northwest Montana. The Particular material came from a W.R. Grace and Co. vermiculite mine that is now closed.

Health workers get estimated that will as much as 400 people have died as well as virtually 3,000 happen http://www.thebestasbestosattorneys.com/ that individuals could carry on to reside within Libby along with neighboring Troy without excessive exposure.

"EPA's indoor as well as outdoor cleanups have significantly reduced risk via exposure in order to asbestos," agency officials said in the Friday statement.

An EPA research panel concluded last year in which breathing in even a small amount of asbestos from Libby could scar lungs along with trigger additional well being problems.

Critics in the cleanup point out that will asbestos would be left in the walls associated with houses, underground as well as elsewhere areas the EPA says pose much less of a potential for exposure. A Few Libby residents said the asbestos inevitably will escape during future excavation work, residence renovations along with accidents like fires.

State officials get raised similar concerns.

The EPA acknowledged inside Friday's analysis that will higher amounts associated with asbestos could be discovered within the 700 properties they've got not necessarily been able to access since involving uncooperative owners.

Vermiculite from the Grace mine was utilized as insulation throughout countless houses throughout http://www.mesotheliomaweb.org/ the U.S.

In the particular Libby area, asbestos-tainted mine waste unwittingly was utilized as being a garden-soil additive by simply residents and as fill for that local construction industry.

The government up to always be able to now has removed more than a new million cubic yards regarding dirt and contaminated creating materials through more than 2,000 properties within Libby and also Troy.

EPA officials have by no means fully documented the amount of homes as well as organizations had been playing vermiculite in their walls following cleanup function ended up being completed.