Clapper, Patti, Schweizer and Mason

Employees for Denver Water are speaking out about illegal dumping of asbestos and other toxic substances that they claim they were told to do twenty years ago. Employees say that they were instructed to dump the asbestos at a site at 12^th and Sheridon and then told not to speak about it to the public, local homeowners or the media.

 

Workers are coming forward now because of the proposal to dig up the site as part of the building of a new Fast Tracks line and rail station. They are concerned that as the site is developed, asbestos dumped previously might be released into the air causing workers and others in the area to get exposed to the carcinogenic substance.

 

Asbestos was commonly added to many industrial products because of its thermal, insulating and fire proofing properties.   In the mid 1980’s, the federal government created regulations around the manufacture, use and removal of asbestos. 

 

When intact and in good condition, asbestos does not cause a threat to health. However, when it is disturbed or damaged and becomes airborne, asbestos can be inhaled and cause serious diseases. One fatal illness caused by asbestos is mesothelioma, a cancer in the lining of the lungs, abdomen or heart cavities. Mesothelioma has a long latency period, one to four decades, between time of exposure and development of symptoms.

 

Former Denver Water employees are now concerned about prior exposure leading to such asbestos related illnesses in themselves and are particularly interested in making sure no one else is exposed.

 

At question is who is responsible for cleaning up any asbestos at the site. Denver Water claims that they followed all regulations that were current at the time and should not be held responsible now for clean up of buried asbestos.   Most likely, RTD Fast Tracks, who hopes to develop the site, will have to pay for any asbestos removal.   This in turn may mean higher costs to taxpayers, who fund Fast Tracks.