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EPA Mandates Cleanup of Contaminated Site in Ohio

EPA Mandates Cleanup of Contaminated Site in Ohio

In recent months, several asbestos cleanups have been announced across the United States. The most recent cleanup mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will take place in Elyra, Ohio, where a structure fire leveled a building possibly contaminated with asbestos. The site was formerly the home of General Industries covering approximately two city blocks. The fires consumed the building almost entirely, leaving a shell of debris, ashes, and scorched materials, materials the EPA says could be contaminated with asbestos. Such materials include bricks, floor tiles, roofing, and any insulation not consumed; all could potentially be contaminated with asbestos particulate matter. Contaminated materials increase the chances of asbestos exposure to any one coming in contact with the debris or to anyone in the immediate area, as it is possible that asbestos material can become airborne.

According to one report, the owner of building site has made several statements claiming that there is no contamination present in the building materials nor in the resulting debris. This evidence stands in stark contrast to the EPA's own findings, when asbestos evidence was discovered less than two weeks after the fire. To this end, the EPA wants to be certain that there is no contamination of building materials and has elected to take site samples on their own. The owner of the site has repeatedly indicated his interest in cleaning the site, but nothing has been done as of yet. Thus, the EPA has decided to move forward with cleaning the site and taking samples of the materials. EPA contractors have been on site with protective gear, including hazard suits and respirators, collecting additional burned materials and samples. No visible asbestos emissions have been reported at this time.

The EPA stepping in to clean potentially contaminated industrial sites is nothing new. Two high-profile cleanups have been recently announced in several states including Montana and Kentucky. EPA teams in charge of cleaning up Libby, Montana, worked diligently to remove much of the vermiculite dust contaminated with asbestos that covered the town. After years of nearby mining endeavors, much of the area had been completely covered the contaminated particulate matter, causing hundreds of asbestos-related illnesses, including mesothelioma cancer and asbestosis. In Kentucky, a site cleanup was ordered after a former electroplating facility was demolished and found to have contained asbestos-contaminated materials. The site was deemed an environmental emergency clean-up site as there was essentially unrestricted access to this tainted site.

Exposure to asbestos can lead to serious health concerns such as respiratory problems, asbestosis, and mesothelioma cancer. Any of these conditions could result in a serious and debilitating condition, sincerely changing the quality of life for an individual. Many times, those exposed to harmful chemicals look into developing a mesothelioma lawsuit to potentially recoup some of their losses.

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