The final assessment comes after a draft released in December 2014, which was issued following scientific reviews of the site’s toxicity values after the agency worked to remove asbestos sources from area. To prepare the risk assessment, the EPA investigated more that 7,000 properties in the Superfund site for Libby Amphibole (LA) asbestos. Following the draft assessment’s release, which determined that residents could live and work in Libby and Troy without taking on the health risks associated with asbestos exposure, the agency accepted public comments, though it did not change the final assessment. The reduction in health risks within the site is a sign of successes for the EPA’s cleanup plan.
The agency has not ruled out the possibility of high levels of LA on properties that they have not investigated, which it numbers at approximately 700. Those property owners can schedule an investigation with the agency’s Libby Information Office, and those interested in viewing the final risk assessment can do so on the EPA’s website on the Superfund site.
Alerts Sign-up