Wyoming Residents Want Asbestos Cleaned Up

Article Added August 21st, 2006 - Print This Story - Bookmark This Story

A county of concerned residents have written to the state of Wyoming requesting that asbestos in a vacant lot be removed. The state, however, feels there is little reason to do so.

Laramie County residents are concerned that a vacant lot containing asbestos will be a neighbor for years. The residents of the neighborhood have requested from the state that the asbestos be removed, but the state says until the EPA has determined there is a cause for concern that they will take no action. The lot contains horses, which kick up dust that can carry asbestos particles. The county has done preliminary testing, which shows levels of dangerous asbestos in the area.

Visual inspection by the state shows that there is little need for concern, according to internal documents. The type of asbestos present is a form of the material that does not normally release fibers when disturbed, causing the EPA to treat it as a non-hazard. Residents are still petitioning Wyoming to send out the EPA, with the county behind the push. Though some forms of asbestos can be deadly, other types are non-threatening even if broken or disturbed. The state maintains that the type of asbestos dumped on the site is not a hazard.

Article Added August 21st, 2006 - Print This Story - Bookmark This Story