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Mesothelioma News | 2000
Testing Recommended For All Libby Residents
LIBBY - The town's two Sandy Wagners share more than their names - the ladies also want to know that the area is safe for their families. That's why the sisters-in-law dragged their husbands, who are brothers, to Thursday's public session on the proposed medical screening for current and past Libby residents. "This is the only way to determine what true amount of contamination within the community has been," said Sandy Wagner - the one married to John.
Her sister-in-law Sandy is more concerned about her husband Mike's health than her own. Mike and John Wagner's father worked at the W.R. Grace and Co. vermiculite mine, which released deadly asbestos fibers in the air as miners dug for ore. Their 83-year-old mother was just diagnosed with the lung disease asbestosis. John's wife used to ride with her uncle as he hauled the ore down the mountain to the dumping site.
The two Wagner families spent the afternoon browsing the booths and displays set up by the various federal, state and local agencies that will conduct medical tests on an estimated 5,000 past and present Libby residents in May. Residents have until April 18 to comment on the proposed medical screening plan. As residents slowly trickled into the conference room in back of the VFW bar, medical professionals and asbestos experts chatted one-on-one with them, answering questions and listening to concerns. These voluntary medical tests will help the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry determine the current extent of asbestos contamination in Libby and if it's a persistent health risk. Although voluntary, the agencies encourage all eligible residents to participate so they can help other communities avoid similar tragedy.
Newspapers reported in November that 192 miners and their families have died from asbestos-related illnesses and another 375 people have been diagnosed, some who have no apparent link to the mine which closed in 1990. That's why the medical tests are so important. "This is a good place to start developing a database about what is the nature of the problem so we can go from there," said Maria Teran-MacIver, an ATSDR community involvement specialist based in Atlanta.
Grace used Libby vermiculite in housing insulation marketed as Zonolite. The product is in 1 million homes nationwide, and there were at least 250 export sites located across the country. The EPA so far can't determine whether the insulation is contaminated. That means determining exposure rates in other communities is difficult at this point. ATSDR officials say it's important for Libby residents to sign up for the tests, even if they have already been diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases. Everyone needs to be counted so the agency can get a complete picture of the situation.
Those eligible for medical screenings include former mine employees and their families, individuals who lived, worked or attended school within 2.5 miles of Libby or who lived along the Kootenai River for six months or more prior to 1991. Anyone who came into contact with vermiculite or the mine during activities such as logging, hiking or hunting is also included. Plans are still being worked out to screen eligible people who no longer live in the area.
Teran-MacIver reassured people the tests are nothing to fear - no needles, no blood. One woman said she feared doctors would have to stick a needle into her lung. Teran-MacIver said the tests are painless and simple. A nurse will conduct personal interviews with each patient, asking about health histories and possible contacts with vermiculite. Then patients older than 18 will get a chest X-ray from several angles followed by a pulmonary test. This involves blowing all the air from the lungs into a tube connected to a machine that measures the person's lung capacity. Qualified physicians will review the tests immediately.
Anyone who has asbestos-related symptoms will be referred to a doctor of their choice because the agency doesn't provide medical care. All the medical information is confidential. The ATSDR said Grace will not have access to patients' records. For those who don't exhibit symptoms, the ATSDR is working on a plan to ensure long-term monitoring. Because asbestos-related diseases take 10-40 years to manifest, ATSDR expects Libby residents will be diagnosed for the next 30 years.
The agency will begin conducting a phone survey next month to everyone in the current study area to remind people to sign up for the medical tests.
Who is eligible for medical screening?
- Any former Grace vermiculite mine or processing employee or workers in other occupations, such as railroaders, who had frequent contact with vermiculite
- Family members of workers associated with the mine or vermiculite.
- Anyone who resided, worked or attended school within 2.5 miles of the town center or a half-mile on either side of the Kootenai River or 7 miles upstream.
- Anyone who participated in any activities within the area that brought them into contact with the mine, processing facilities or the raw material. For example, hunting, hiking, logging or playing in vermiculite piles.
All of these activities must have taken place for at least six months prior to January 1991. People who have questions can contact the ATSDR Libby office at (406) 293-7781, Ext. 279.
