Residents of California Development Still at Risk for Exposure

December 21, 2006 - The 31,000 people who live in the El Dorado Hills development near Sacramento may have less to worry about than originally thought, but those who live, work, and play in this Sierra foothills community should still be concerned about asbestos exposure, says a report issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) earlier this week.

The report, outlined in an article by The Associated Press, states that while everyday activities like playing baseball and riding bikes may not disturb the naturally-occurring asbestos in the rocks around the development, large-scale construction activities that create debris and dust may indeed expose residents to dangerous fibers.

In the 47-page report, the U.S. Geological Survey said most of the fibers found in an earlier EPA study do not meet the definition of commercial-grade asbestos, which is most often linked to diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma, an incurable cancer of the chest lining for which asbestos exposure is the only known cause.

They did warn, however, that communities in areas with asbestos should minimize dust, said Daniel Meer, a supervisor in the EPA's Superfund Division.  "Reducing exposures reduces the risk of developing asbestos-related disease," Meer said in a statement issued along with this most recent report.

Naturally-occurring asbestos has raised concerns in 44 of California’s 58 counties.  The substance is most often found in serpentine, which is the state rock.  This week’s study indicates that more research is needed to determine the overall health risks involved for those who live near asbestos-laden areas.