EPA News, Info, and Links EPA has been working in Libby since 1999 when an Emergency Response Team was sent to investigate local concern and news articles about asbestos-contaminated vermiculite. Since that time, EPA has been working closely with the community to clean up contamination and reduce risks to human health. LATAG (Libby Area Technical Assistance Group) LATAG Focus/Vision: Make certain that cleanup of Libby Amphibole contamination, which resulted from W. R. Grace mine and exportation sites, is comprehensive, complete, and timely resulting in the elimination of the Libby Amphibole threat to human health and environment. CAG (Community Advisory Group) CAG is made up of a diverse collection of community representatives. Its purpose is to provide a public forum for community members to present and discuss their needs and concerns related to the Superfund decision-making process. The EPA does not control the way each CAG is formed or the topics it discusses. Asbestos and Libby Health The University of Montana, in connection with both the University's National Rural Bioethics Project and a University grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, sponsors this web site. The goal is to promote public understanding and education about the issues that surround asbestos exposure associated with mine operations that took place in and around the town of Libby, Montana. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ASTDR) The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, based in Atlanta, Georgia, is a federal public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ATSDR serves the public by using the best science, taking responsive public health actions, and providing trusted health information to prevent harmful exposures and diseases related to toxic substances. CARD (Center for Asbestos Related Desease) The CARD is a not-for-profit clinic governed by a volunteer community board that developed the vision of Caring Pathways to Treatment. The CARD is devoted to healthcare, outreach, and research to benefit all people impacted by exposure to Libby amphibole asbestos. Economic Revitalization The Main Street Program is a comprehensive revitalization program designed to promote the historic and economic redevelopment of traditional business districts in Libby using the Four Point Approach. Community Forums Eagles Voice Forum is where the folks of Libby, Troy, Lincoln County, and beyond can discuss or simply express their concerns and viewpoints.  If you wish to have a topic added, please email info@eaglesvoice.com Speak to Your Decision Makers Given the Extremely Serious Issues Libby, Troy, and Lincoln County face, it is important that ALL Citizens take the opportunity, and accept the responsibility of being a vital part of the community to discuss and/or lobby for what they feel are the community needs. Libby Superfund Site - Latest News from KPAX Asbestos clean up meeting held in Libby Updated: Jan 16, 2008 02:13 PM MST  Residents of Libby and Troy had their chance to talk back to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency about asbestos cleanup on Thursday night. Libby, Montana (Documentary by High Plains Films) A small rural town in Montana is besieged with one of the largest health crises in U.S. history. The town scrambles to treat hundreds that are sick and dying from asbestos contamination, and the residents are left to wonder: How did this happen in modern America?    Thank you to High Plains Films for allowing the use of this trailer!

 

 

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About Asbestos and Vermiculite

Asbestos is made up of long, thin fibers that are strong and heat-resistant. This has led to its use in thousands of products (such as building materials and heat-resistant fabrics). The fibers do not dissolve or breakdown in any way. They can remain airborne for quite some time, but eventually settle into soil, sediment, or other materials (e.g. carpet).

Please visit EPA's Asbestos Web site for more information.

Amphibole asbestos describes the mineral family that includes Libby asbestos. Amphibole asbestos fibers are generally straighter and break apart more easily than other asbestos fibers. They are also believed to be more toxic than fibers from other types of asbestos.

Tremolite-Actinolite Series Asbestos This is the type of asbestos of concern in Libby. It is a distinct and relatively uncommon form of asbestos that is often referred to as tremolite, Libby amphibole, or Libby asbestos.

• It is not a commercially viable mineral, but a contaminant in the vermiculite ore from the Libby mine.
• Individual fibers are too small to be seen without a microscope.
• Asbestos ore is occasionally seen locally, usually as decorative landscape rock or driveway material.
• The ore is waxy-silky white to greenish white, with fibrous strands running across the surface.

Vermiculite and Zonolite

• Vermiculite is a silver-gold to gray-brown mineral that is flat and shiny in its natural state and puffed and dull in its expanded shape.
• It was discovered near Libby in 1881. In 1919, Dr. Edward Alley found that vermiculite expanded (or "popped") when heated. This created pockets of air that made the material suitable for use as insulation or as a soil amendment.
• Dr. Alley founded the Zonolite Company and developed the mine and processing facility north of Libby, producing expanded vermiculite as Zonoliteä. Zonoliteä was lightweight, sturdy, and inexpensive. It was used in everything from construction to school craft projects.

It is estimated that the Libby mine was the source of over 70 percent of all vermiculite sold in the U.S. from 1919 to 1990; and, over its lifetime, it employed more than 1,900 people. W. R. Grace bought the mine and processing facility in 1963 and operated it until 1990.

The asbestos veins in the ore body have contaminated most, if not all, of the material taken from the mine. Milling removed much of the asbestos from the finished product, but a significant amount remained. Because asbestos fibers are so small, this contamination is not evident with the naked eye.

Not all vermiculite is contaminated. However, it is difficult to distinguish Libby vermiculite with the naked eye, and all vermiculite should be handled with care.

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