Clapper, Patti, Schweizer and Mason

Local and national health agencies are warning homeowners and volunteers cleaning up from the recent North Dakota flooding to be wary of asbestos containing materials.  The North Dakota Health Department, First District Health Unit and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are urging people to properly identify debris such as wallboard and insulation in order to confirm or deny the presence of asbestos.

While the use of asbestos in building materials was outlawed in the mid 1980s, many houses and public buildings constructed before the ban still have cancer causing materials in place.  The warning comes as officials discovered that some homeowners were leaving vermiculite asbestos insulation debris for curbside pickup in the Minot area.

Asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral, has been found to cause lung cancer, mesothelioma (a type of cancer which attacks the lining of the internal organs), and asbestosis.  The EPA has repeatedly released warnings stating that no amount of asbestos exposure can ever be considered safe and OSHA has regulations that states even amounts as low as one tenth of one asbestos fiber per liter of air are enough to shut down a jobsite. 

While intact asbestos materials pose little threat, damaged or exposed materials (such as weatherworn insulation left in open containers at curbside) can pose a public health threat.  If asbestos fibers become airborne, they can be inhaled and ingested.  These fibers can then lodge in the soft tissue of the lungs and digestive tract and may eventually cause mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. 

Vermiculite, also marketed as Zonolite, is a gravelly substance that is often described as looking like little pebbles or tiny Styrofoam peanuts.  Normally it is light brown or golden in color but may become discolored with age or contamination.  This type of insulation can be found inside framed or cinderblock walls or between rafters or floor joists. 

While vermiculite was the most prevalent type of asbestos-laden insulation, other forms may have a cardboard shell or look like “chalky black mud.”  These types of asbestos insulation were most commonly used around boilers, furnaces, and other appliances which generated large amounts of heat.

If homeowners choose to remove the asbestos themselves, which North Dakota regulations allow for single family homes or apartment complexes with less than four units, they are urged to use safety precautions to minimize the risk of exposure.  These include:

• Using plastic sheeting to block off contaminated rooms and keep asbestos dust from contaminating the remainder of the household
• Handling the materials while wet or rewetting to avoid airborne fibers
• Using goggles, HEPA respirators, and proper protective clothing, such as gloves, which should be discarded after cleanup is complete
• Placing materials in completely sealed containers (plastic bags, bins, etc.)
• Clearly labeling the bags or containers as “asbestos containing” to help ensure the safety of waste removal crews
• Avoid using regular vacuums (though HEPA vacuums may be used) or sweeping asbestos dust and debris

Removal of asbestos building materials is strictly regulated.  In addition to causing a public health crisis, homeowners and contractors who have violated EPA regulations could face fines and possible jail time.  The EPA and local officials are urging those involved in the North Dakota cleanup to contact a state-accredited asbestos contractors if there is any doubt about the materials they are handling.  While licensed contractors may end up increasing the cost of the cleanup, contacting one could save many lives. 

The EPA has pictures of vermiculite insulation on their website to help in the visual identification of this potentially lethal carcinogen.  Those photos can be found here: www.epa.gov/asbestos/pubs/verm.html.