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On February 23, 2009, opening statements were scheduled in the case of U.S. vs. W.R. Grace and Co. and five of its executives, who are charged with knowingly exposing the residents of the small town of Libby, Montana to asbestos. On, March 23, 2009, a former W.R. Grace & Co. employee testified that he warned supervisors of asbestos hazards in 1976, when studies illustrated consumer products were emitting high concentrations of the dangerous fibers. “I felt there was a train wreck occurring and I wanted to tell my boss,” said Robert Locke, a longtime Grace employee who was fired from the company in 1998.

Montana’s congressional delegation is seeking assurances from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that the government will not leave the asbestos-contaminated town of Libby before its cleanup is complete, according to a recent Associated Press news report.

Health workers say at least 400 people have died in rural Libby from contamination caused by a now-closed W.R. Grace vermiculite mine. The EPA in May finalized its cleanup strategy for the first two of eight contaminated areas, including a town park. Some Libby residents and local elected leaders fear the EPA is rushing to finish its work, leaving the town at risk.

U.S. Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester and Rep. Denny Rehberg have asked the EPA to clarify its plans for the 3,000-person town. In separate letters sent in recent weeks, the lawmakers prodded the EPA to complete a long-delayed study of Libby asbestos.

They also wanted the EPA’s pledge to return to areas already cleaned if the study shows the health danger is worse than previously thought.

More than a decade after the EPA arrived in Libby on the heels of news reports about widespread health problems, regulators still are uncertain just how toxic the asbestos is to humans. A risk assessment meant to answer that question is not expected to be finalized for another five years, according to correspondence between the agency and Baucus.

“In some ways we’re in the same spot we’ve been for years,” Baucus told EPA officials during a recent hearing before a subcommittee of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

A June report by the Government Accountability Office listed Libby as one of 75 Superfund sites across the United States with health risks that are considered unacceptable. For Libby, that public danger is expected to last through at least 2015.

EPA officials acknowledge the health crisis in Libby has at times overwhelmed the government as the scope of contamination and number of victims has grown.

Asbestos-laced vermiculite was used as insulation in hundreds of Libby houses and businesses and tilled into backyard gardens. Decades of activity at the Grace mine produced so much dust that hazardous asbestos is now embedded in the barks of trees that cover the surrounding mountains

Asbestos can be found anywhere and many workers can be exposed to asbestos related diseases each year. For example, mining, ship building, construction, teaching, and plumbing are just some of the many industries that put workers at the greatest risk. Additionally, people who live in nearby neighborhoods can be exposed as well.

According to a June 14, 2010, Tricities.com news report, workers are expected to begin removing asbestos from the floor of the old cafeteria at Asheville High School sometime during the week of June 21, 2010. The asbestos was discovered as workers began removing layers of old flooring during a $2.9 million renovation project at the school.

Workers found the asbestos in an area that has been closed off to students since January, said Bob McGrattan, assistant superintendent for human resources and support services.

Removing the asbestos will cost around $22,000, school officials say. In addition to removal costs, it will cost another $3,000 to clean contractors’ tools and materials that were in the area.

Continued exposure to asbestos fibers has been linked to lung cancer, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The fibers can be released when products containing asbestos are disturbed.

The asbestos was found underneath the existing floor in the dining room of the old cafeteria. The facility opened in 1929.

As part of the current renovation project, the old cafeteria is being converted into offices and other space, and a new accessible entrance is being added, said Charlie Glazener, spokesman for Asheville City Schools.

Workers also are replacing old windows and putting in new ceilings and lighting in classrooms and corridors.

Asbestos should be handled very carefully. Diseases related to asbestos exposure are responsible for 30 deaths per day, or 10,000 deaths per year. Asbestos diseases, not only, affects workers who were exposed, but also their families who were exposed to particles on clothing.

The status of a summer school course at Humboldt State University is up in the air following a recent asbestos scare on campus, leaving many students pondering how they will go about taking the necessary class, according to a recent Contra Costa Times news report.

On May 25, 2010, officials at Humboldt State University closed the entire Science A building after Plant Operations noticed the possible release of asbestos in a classroom. Faculty members of the chemistry department were working to install a computer port on a lab table when they were told to stop once it became clear that the sanding being done might be releasing asbestos into the air. The heating and cooling systems were immediately shut down to limit any potential spreading.

Public Information Officer Paul Mann said the closure comes mainly as a precautionary measure to ensure that faculty who have keys to the building do not attempt to enter it over the next couple days. Mann said that the school is doing everything it can to have the building open before summer school begins next Tuesday. “We want people to have access to the classrooms as soon as possible,” said Mann.

Workers wearing protective breathing masks searched the building and found about two dozen people before locking all doors and posting warning signs outside the building. There are currently no reports of injury or health problems related to the incident.

Asbestos is a mineral fiber commonly used in building construction. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, asbestos can be released into the air when disturbed by sanding or other remodeling activities.

Carl Hansen, dean of Extended Education, said that he will have to consult faculty to figure out whether the chemistry lab, which is scheduled to meet next week in the building, will meet in another building or if curriculum will be adjusted.

”Health and safety is our first priority for students and faculty,” said Hansen, who added that he hopes the situation will be solved sometime this week. “We’ll keep our fingers crossed.”