Several months ago, we wrote about how residents of Libby, Montana had suffered asbestos exposure from a nearby mine. At the time, over 200 people had died from asbestos poisoning, with an estimated 500 in Libby and the town of Troy, Montana experiencing asbestos-related illnesses like mesothelioma. After declaring a public health emergency, the Environmental Protection Agency called for the town to be cleaned up over the following five years. This week, people with illnesses from asbestos exposure in the town are starting to receive federally-funded medical care.

Screenings with begin next week, on November 16. To be eligible, the Center for Asbestos Related Disease (CARD) website says that a person must have lived, recreated or worked in the Libby area prior to the year 2015 for at least six months. Those six months do not have to be consecutive. Additionally, it must have been at least 10 years since your first potential exposure to asbestos in the Libby area. To sign up for a screening, you just need to call CARD or come into the clinic to complete an application.

With a population of about 2,600 people, Libby suffers 40 to 80 times the national average in its rate of death from asbestos. According to the CARD website, there have been 33 cases of malignant mesothelioma recorded since 1977, and 9 of those cases were caused by environmental asbestos exposure. Studies done have showed lung cancer rates are 30% higher in the Libby population than in similar non-asbestos exposed populations.

An Associated Press story explained that the W.R. Grace and Co. Mine — along with its processing plants — “spewed asbestos” for 70 years, coating the town with the dangerous fibers and putting residents in great danger. Employees of the mine had also unknowingly tracked asbestos from work into their homes, since they were wearing contaminated clothing and shoes.

People affected can get more information about care and stay up to date at LibbyAsbestos.org. Medical care for the victims is funded by a $6 million grant from the Department of Health and Human Services.

After residents in Libby, Montana were exposed to asbestos from a nearby mine, the Environmental Protection Agency declared a public health emergency this week. Employees working in the mine unknowingly tracked asbestos from the mine to their homes because they were wearing contaminated clothing and shoes.

The EPA’s declaration calls for a clean-up of the town, and it’s estimated it will cost at least $125 million over the next five years to do so. Additionally, federal grant money in the amount of $6 million will be used toward paying for medical care for the estimated 500 people in Libby as well as Troy, Montana who are suffering asbestos-related illnesses like mesothelioma. The mine is now closed, but over 200 people have died because of asbestos poisoning.

According to a story from the Associated Press, the mine and its processing plants “spewed asbestos” over Libby, Montana for 70 years, “coating homes, schools and ball fields.” The story mentions how many residents now suffer the “coughing, hacking and wheezing of asbestos-related diseases, which have been blamed in more than 200 deaths since the late 1990s.”

The town of Libby, Montana has 2,600 residents, and the Associated Press noted that the town suffers 40 to 80 times the national average in its rate of death from asbestosis.

Asbestos Exposure: A Serious Issue

Asbestos exposure is an extremely serious issue. When disturbed, asbestos’ small fiber particles can become airborne. When this happens, people can inhale the particles into the lungs or stomach, and the body is not able to break them down.

If you or a loved one have been exposed to asbestos and suffer from Mesothelioma, don’t hesitate to seek legal representation to get the compensation  you deserve for your pain and suffering. To find out more information, call 1-888-370-0121.