Environmental Asbestos Exposure

Asbestos in the Environment: Where is it Found?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral found in the earth. It is formed by bundles of long, thin fibers within specific rock types: serpentines, altered ultramafic, and mafic rocks. Asbestos forms in these rocks because of the presence of water. Increased temperatures and pressures cause the rocks to fault and fracture, allowing the mineral to form in the cracks.

The amount of asbestos forming within these rocks can vary greatly. There may be commercial-grade ore bodies (a rock containing valuable minerals), thin veinlets (small strands of minerals) or low-grade occurrences (abundance of hydrous minerals).

Asbestos fibers can be released from within these rocks if they are broken or crushed. The mineral may also be present in various soil types, and fibers can be released into the air if the soil is disturbed.

Confirmed Sites of Asbestos Occurrence

While deposits of asbestos can be found throughout the United States, mountain ranges are known to contain the majority of deposits.

In 2006 and 2007, the U.S. Geological Survey analyzed known locations of naturally occurring asbestos throughout the country. According to the survey, there was an abundance of asbestos mines and deposits. Some locations contained asbestos mines, while others may have been evaluated as potential locations. In some cases, the presence of asbestos was found in asbestos-bearing rocks or within other mineral deposits.

The eastern region of the United States, which contains the Appalachian Mountain Range, has the largest environmental asbestos presence, with 205 natural asbestos occurrences. The most notable states with asbestos mines are Georgia and North Carolina. These two states combined had dozens of active asbestos mines.

In the Rocky Mountain States (Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico and Wyoming), the presence of asbestos is not as prevalent as in the eastern U.S., but it is home to the most infamous asbestos mine in American history: Libby, Montana. This small town was the site of a notorious asbestos mine that caused thousands of innocent people to be exposed to asbestos.

The central United States has a number of locations with asbestos in the earth’s soil. However, it was not enough to create operational asbestos mines. A few sites were once prospects but never became functioning mine sites.

The U.S. Geological Survey’s online mineral resources map has information about asbestos in these states: Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington.

Cause of Environmental Asbestos Exposure

Environmental asbestos exposure occurs when asbestos minerals are disturbed, causing the toxic fibers to contaminate the environment. Asbestos particles can pollute the air, water or soil, leading to serious potential health issues for anyone in the area.

The causes of environmental asbestos exposure are primarily natural forces and industrial activities:

• Natural causes – Since asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral, weather elements can affect it. Weathering, erosion and natural disasters can cause asbestos fibers to be released from rock formations and contaminate surrounding air, water and soil.
• Industrial activities – Asbestos must be mined for use, which contributes to environmental asbestos exposure. Mining, milling, processing, manufacturing, transporting, construction, and asbestos removal from buildings are among the industrial practices responsible for contaminating the environment with asbestos.

Of the different types of asbestos exposure, environmental exposure may be the most difficult to avoid.

Natural Causes of Environmental Asbestos Exposure

Nature is often the root cause of environmental asbestos exposure. Asbestos minerals form naturally within the earth and other rock formations, which leaves the substance susceptible to the unpredictable forces of nature.

Natural disasters, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and fires, as well as standard natural occurrences, such as rainstorms, winds or wildlife, can disrupt the earth. The danger of natural environmental asbestos exposure is it’s created by nature and cannot be controlled.

By comparison, occupational asbestos exposure is a result of the corporations that manufactured asbestos and asbestos-containing materials or purchased asbestos-containing materials. These corporations knew exactly which parts contained asbestos and which occupations worked closely with asbestos. Occupational asbestos exposure can be traced, while environmental exposure may be more difficult to identify or avoid.

Depending on the severity of the natural force, rocks and minerals can crack, break, and travel to other locations by water or wind. Asbestos is no exception. Although asbestos is known to be durable and resistant to heat, any type of disturbance to the mineral may cause it to splinter and uncontrollably disperse. Once asbestos has been cracked, broken, burned, blown, or washed away, toxic fibers are released. These fibers are weightless and invisible to the human eye.

Environmental asbestos exposure is a primary concern during natural disaster cleanup efforts. Examples of natural disasters that officials feared could cause asbestos exposure include tornadoes in Alabama and Missouri, wildfires in California, and hurricanes in Louisiana, Texas, Florida and New Jersey.

First responders and early response volunteers are often at high risk of environmental asbestos exposure due to the unknown conditions of the surrounding areas, including damaged property and scattered debris. 9/11 first responders are especially at risk for asbestos exposure due to the overwhelming amount of asbestos used to build the Twin Towers.

Industrial Causes of Environmental Asbestos Exposure

Industrial activities have a strong link to occupational asbestos exposure and environmental asbestos exposure. Industrial activities may include – but are not limited to – mining, milling, manufacturing and construction. These are some of the industries at high risk of occupational asbestos exposure, but they can also cause asbestos contamination in the environment.

Environmental asbestos exposure from industrial activities can occur from the extraction, processing or industrial use of asbestos. Further exposure to asbestos may occur by inhaling or swallowing airborne asbestos emissions when loading, processing, ventilating, and disposing of asbestos waste or by the local use of waste products from an asbestos mine or processing facility for roads, soil amendments or other purposes.

The workers who perform these asbestos-handling jobs come from surrounding residential communities and can bring home toxic asbestos fibers on their clothes or in their hair, contaminating their neighborhoods, homes and automobiles, all while putting loved ones at risk of exposure to the dangerous fibers. This is called secondary asbestos exposure.

Mining and Environmental Asbestos Exposure

The primary cause of industrial environmental asbestos exposure is mining for the substance. Miners and communities near asbestos mines are at the highest risk of environmental asbestos exposure.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral and must be extracted from the earth. In order to mine for asbestos, geological surveys and assessments must be conducted to determine if the site is a viable location for asbestos mining.

After evaluating the area and confirming asbestos is present within the earth, the site must be prepared for mining, which includes clearing vegetation, establishing access roads, and setting up necessary infrastructures such as power supplies, water sources, and processing facilities. During this process, there is ample opportunity for disturbance of asbestos – before the actual mining has even started.

Most asbestos mines used an open-pit concept, which involved removing surface-level soil and minerals by digging a large pit in the ground to get closer to asbestos deposits. This creates a risk due to unpredictable weather. Rain or wind can transport asbestos particles, contaminating the air, soil or water in surrounding areas.

During the asbestos mining process, asbestos-containing rocks and minerals are removed from the soil for milling and processing. This requires specialized milling equipment, which repeatedly crushes the rocks to separate the asbestos. The crushing of asbestos rocks sends asbestos dust particles into the air, contaminating the asbestos mill’s work environment and exposing anyone in the air to the toxic fibers.

A study published in the National Library of Medicine analyzed the health of former asbestos mineworkers. There were 149 clinical evaluations, with 131 males. Some were clinically diagnosed with asbestos disease, while other participants were determined to have a disease during an autopsy.

The results showed:

• 129 had asbestosis (lung tissue scarring)
• 31 had mesothelioma
• 25 had lung cancer

Some of the former mine workers had multiple asbestos-related diseases.

Incidents of Environmental Asbestos Exposure

There have been various incidents of environmental asbestos exposure around the world.

A study published in the National Library of Medicine analyzed six communities in Italy, Spain and Switzerland. After excluding subjects with secondary asbestos exposure, the investigators found that living within 2,000 meters of asbestos mines, asbestos cement plants, asbestos textiles, shipyards, or brake factories was associated with an increased risk for mesothelioma. The increased risk was found to be directly related to environmental asbestos exposure.

For instance, an Italian town known as Casale Monferrato is the site of significant environmental asbestos exposure. Hundreds of town residents were exposed to asbestos and died from asbestos-related diseases due to an active asbestos cement factory in the town. The factory’s waste products were crushed outside the facility, which caused asbestos dust to pollute the town. Only 60 victims were employees of the factory, which shut down in 1986. In 2023, the operator of the mine was sentenced to prison for his reckless business practices.

According to an article published in 2007 by the Health Protection Branch of the Department of National Health and Welfare in Canada, chrysotile asbestos was identified in drinking water, with at least 5% of public water supplies containing asbestos at concentrations greater than 10 million fibers per liter. In some cases, there was evidence to suggest asbestos pipe material was eroding and contaminating drinking water.

Another incident of environmental asbestos exposure occurred in 2019 at Swift Creek, which flows into the Sumas River in Everson, Washington. It was found to contain dangerous levels of asbestos. A series of studies conducted by the EPA beginning in 2006 showed existing asbestos in the creek and nearby riverbeds. Levels of asbestos varied along the creek, with some dried samples containing up to 43% of the carcinogen. The EPA’s report states, “Swift Creek has no resident fish,” and its flow into the Sumas River has been linked to water quality issues.

Environmental Asbestos Exposure in Libby, Montana

Libby is a small midwest American town in Montana with a population under 3,000, according to the 2021 census. Unfortunately, the small town has been deeply affected by environmental asbestos exposure due to the vermiculite mine that operated for 66 years.

In 1881, gold miners discovered vermiculite in Libby. Around 40 years later, the Zonolite Company began mining for vermiculite during the 1920s. Decades later, W.R. Grace bought the mine in 1963, and it was finally shut down in 1990.

The U.S. Bureau of Mines claimed to be aware of the negative impact of asbestos as early as 1932, stating in a letter written to an asbestos manufacturer: “It is now known that asbestos dust is one of the most dangerous (types of) dust to which man is exposed.” However, there were no regulations implemented to prevent the reckless use of asbestos or asbestos diseases.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), during the operation of the Libby vermiculite mine, it likely produced 80% of the world’s vermiculite supply. This substance was used in building insulation and as a soil conditioner, which controls erosion and improves soil properties. However, Libby’s vermiculite was contaminated with asbestos, which causes serious health issues for mineworkers and town residents.

Due to the mass production of asbestos in Libby, the EPA found overwhelming amounts of asbestos contamination in the environment. For instance, the EPA’s investigation revealed asbestos was present in indoor and outdoor air, vermiculite insulation and bulk materials, indoor dust, soil, water, animal and fish tissue and various other means.

In 1999, the EPA responded to the public’s concerns regarding asbestos exposure in Libby, Montana. In 2009, the EPA placed the town on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL), which means Libby is considered one of the nation’s most contaminated land sites. The EPA coordinates clean-up efforts that make a visible and lasting difference in communities, ensuring citizens can live and work in a healthy environment.

However, the EPA’s efforts did not prevent the town’s asbestos exposure from developing into a massive public health crisis. A study that analyzed the deaths of 752 Libby mine workers found 13.2% died from lung cancer, 2% from mesothelioma and 5.3% from asbestosis. The average duration of employment was 7.1 years among workers who died from cancer of the lung or bronchus, 10.8 years among residents with mesothelioma, and 14.6 years among people diagnosed with asbestosis.

It’s worth noting this study only evaluated mineworkers. This data does not reflect the population of Libby, which was also greatly affected by asbestos exposure.

The environmental and public damage caused by the vermiculite mine in Libby was so significant that a documentary was created called “Dirty Laundry.” The film focuses on asbestos exposure in Libby and the high rates of mesothelioma in Libby and related areas. Dusti Thompson, a former employee at the Center for Asbestos-Related Diseases clinic in Libby, was featured in the documentary stating more than 80,000 people were exposed to asbestos in Libby, and the number is very conservative. More than 80,000 victims of asbestos exposure is extreme for a town of less than 3,000 residents.

Libby Mine Owner Proposes Million-Dollar Settlement to the State of Montana

In early 2023, W.R. Grace, the owner of the mine in Libby, Montana, proposed $18.5 million to settle the state of Montana’s environmental damages claims. The state has claimed extensive environmental damage due to the negligence of W.R. Grace and its business practices while operating the vermiculite mine in Libby.

According to the state of Montana’s website, W.R. Grace & Co. will be required to pay $18.5 million to settle Montana’s natural resource damage claims.

The Montana Natural Resource Damage Program will receive the $18.5 million plus interest over the next 10 years, with the first payment of $5 million due six months after the execution of the agreement. The funds will be used to restore, replace or rehabilitate damaged natural resources in Lincoln County, which includes Libby.

“After years of negotiation following (W.R.) Grace’s historic damage, Libby and communities in Lincoln County can more fully recover,” Governor Gianforte said. “I look forward to the positive impact this settlement can bring to the people of Libby and Lincoln County.”

If signed, the settlement will resolve the natural resource damage liability of W.R. Grace & Co. and other affiliated companies to the State of Montana for the Libby Asbestos Superfund Site. The settlement will also relieve W.R. Grace from its liabilities to the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for hazardous or harmful substances, with certain exceptions.

W.R. Grace & Co. will be required to perform superfund work, with supervision from the EPA and DEQ consultation. The settlement will also not affect the company’s obligations under the Montana Dam Safety Act or the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation’s regulatory authority.

Additionally, W.R. Grace & Co. will be required to provide Montana with financial assurance for the maintenance and operation of the Kootenai Development Impoundment Dam for the next 100 years.

Libby Mine Caused Asbestos Exposure in Minneapolis

Aside from the environmental damage and public health issues in Libby, most vermiculite processing plants – outside of Montana – were affected by asbestos, too. For instance, a vermiculite processing plant in Minneapolis, Minnesota, utilized vermiculite from Libby’s mine, meaning plant workers and nearby residents of the plant were at risk of asbestos exposure. The Minneapolis plant was active from the 1930s until the late 1980s.

There were approximately 6,000 plant workers at the Minneapolis plant during its operation. A study was conducted to evaluate the impact of “cumulative low-dose exposure”, the significance of occupational asbestos exposure and nearby residency to determine the risk of developing asbestos-related diseases.

As of 1988, 5,848 plant workers were still alive and enrolled in the Minneapolis Cancer Surveillance System to monitor the development of asbestos-related diseases. By 2010, seven plant workers had developed mesothelioma. After further evaluation of the population, females had an elevated mortality rate. Plant workers were predominantly male, which means the increased rate among females was due to secondary exposure or environmental asbestos exposure.

Health Effects of Environmental Asbestos Exposure

Environmental asbestos exposure, or any type of asbestos exposure, can have long-lasting effects on a person’s health. However, environmental asbestos exposure is especially dangerous because it is more difficult to identify asbestos in the environment versus within buildings or construction materials.

Nature can affect asbestos sites due to unpredictable storms and weather. Water, wind or other natural elements can carry asbestos particles to other locations, contaminating air, water or soil in surrounding areas. The danger of disturbing asbestos is that people are unaware of the presence of asbestos and cannot protect themselves from exposure.

Side effects of asbestos exposure vary, and symptoms may not appear for decades after exposure. There are several health conditions associated with asbestos exposure, such as asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma and more. Exposure to asbestos often results in irritation of the lungs or chest if asbestos fibers are inhaled. It can also affect the abdomen if asbestos particles are swallowed.

Environmental Asbestos Exposure and Mesothelioma

The only cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. This type of cancer is extremely rare, with around 2,500 new cases in the U.S. each year. Mesothelioma is aggressive and can spread through the body quickly.

However, the latency period, which is the time between exposure and experiencing symptoms, can be decades long. Symptoms of mesothelioma can appear mild at first, so this, combined with the long latency period, makes this cancer difficult to diagnose.

For instance, a former mineworker may have been exposed to asbestos in the late 1980s but may not have mesothelioma yet. The former mineworker may experience vague symptoms at first but not enough to think they have cancer. By the time symptoms are severe enough for a doctor’s visit, patients are often diagnosed with advanced mesothelioma.

Oftentimes when diagnosing mesothelioma, specialists will use a strategy called “differential diagnosis,” which involves creating a list of possible causes and related diseases based on the symptoms the patient is experiencing. This helps the doctors determine which diagnostic tests to perform, which will ultimately lead them to a mesothelioma diagnosis.

Fortunately, there are mesothelioma treatment options available for most patients. Many treatment plans involve the use of experimental medicine through clinical trials. Aggressive surgery is usually the most effective treatment approach for mesothelioma, but chemotherapy and immunotherapy are also common treatment options.