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Libby, Montana: Where Asbestos Exposure and COVID-19 Mingle

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Libby, Montana has fought lung diseases due to asbestos for over a century; but now the effects of asbestos exposure and COVID-19 are giving residents of Libby a new worry.

History of Libby asbestos exposure

This combination of silent killers increases the medical fears that have long plagued the area. For generations, Libby, Montana has fought serious lung diseases due to large exposures to asbestos posed by asbestos contaminated vermiculite mined from nearby Zonolite mountain. Asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma – a deadly disease – have led to hundreds of deaths and many residents with scarred and damaged lungs.

Asbestos exposure and COVID-19 threats

Now coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the ensuing pandemic, has left Libby with additional medical worries. COVID-19 is especially dangerous for older people and those with lung or heart conditions, severe obesity, diabetes, and weakened immune systems. Today, 1 in 10 residents are diagnosed with some form of asbestos disease. Since generations of residents lived with the horror of asbestos exposure, this new threat is just one more blow.

Deception leads to distrust

National Public Radio (NPR) reports trusting authorities can be difficult for some individuals who lived through deceptions about asbestos – not knowing that the mines and piles of mine waste that abounded in the area were toxic to them. But W.R. Grace and Company knew and kept it secret for decades. Eventually the EPA came in during the 1990s, helped clean up the town and made the former mine a super fund site. 

Turning to today, COVID-19 is a potentially deadly virus.  Local, state and federal health officials warn that masks should be worn and contacts limited.  But as NPR reports, mistrust in state and local authorities from their initial handling of asbestos disease issues from the mines makes it difficult for some in Libby to know what to do with the new silent health threat posed by COVID-19.  Some just want to get back to work and to their lives. This area of Montana is beautiful – leading the town to rely on the visits of tourists. Yet, tourists could bring more of this new health threat into their town. This conundrum leads to varying opinions among residents on how to protect while keeping livelihoods.

Asbestos, Quebec Has A New Name

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Asbestos, Quebec has a new name after an emotional search for a new name to replace the one that once proclaimed the town’s pride as a well-known global exporter of asbestos.

The name discussion began

After years as a global supplier of asbestos from the nearby Jeffrey Mine, there was a suggestion in 2006 that a name change would benefit the town. This was rejected by many. Asbestos produced livelihoods for the community for 141 years. Even with it’s tarnished reputation as a deadly mineral, it continued its emotional attachment to many in the town. Generations worked the mine and it brought prosperity to Asbestos, Quebec.

The name discussion continued

The Jeffrey Mine closed in 2011. That made it necessary to bring in new businesses, but few were willing to attach their names to a town called Asbestos. For decades it was known that asbestos, while it had many good qualities, had negatives that were far grimmer. Exposure to asbestos can bring about lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma – a disease that can take decades to diagnose, but can kill within a year to five years. Patients rarely live any longer. Residents of Asbestos experienced the ravages of this disease, so were aware of the price paid for the years of prosperity.

With the facts undeniable, the mayor once again brought up a name change in 2019. While the emotions were still there, with many against a change, four potential names were presented to the citizens. None of these was a clear winner, so eventually six names were submitted for a vote. Residents 14 years and older were eligible.

Asbestos, Quebec has a new name

On October 19, after three rounds of voting, Val-des-Sources won with 51% of the vote. Translated, the name means “Valley of the Springs.” Nearly half the eligible population voted, 3,000 residents in all.

Huges Grimard, mayor, said, “I know that changing the name is a very emotional subject — for us, too — since the beginning. But to have all the citizens who came out to vote, that tells me that we succeeded in winning over the population, and that makes me very proud.”

Asbestos, Quebec: In Search of a New Name, or Is It?

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Asbestos, Quebec, Canada – In search of a new name to replace the one that once proclaimed the town’s pride as a well-known global exporter of asbestos. For 141 years, since the opening of the Jeffrey Mine in 1879, the town based its identity on asbestos. By the 1970s and 1980s, this fame began turning against the town. The dangers of asbestos became known, leading to problems enticing businesses to relocate to Asbestos. Fewer tourists wanted to visit for a tour of the mine.

In search of a new name for Asbestos, Quebec?

In 2006, changing the name of the town was first suggested to the citizens. The idea was rejected by many since memories of the good days were still fresh. But, in 2019, the mayor said the town no longer had a choice. Companies did not want the name Asbestos associated with them or their products. The mines closed in 2011, leaving an economic hole that needed filling.  

Finalists for the new name

Originally, a new name was scheduled for May of 2020, but the process has not gone smoothly. There are requirements for a name change, including:

• a reflection of the area or people,

• it must be in French,

• it cannot be the name of a saint or other person.

Hundreds of suggestions came in and, of those, the municipal council chose four. When the names were revealed, this town, with a population of 7,096, was not pleased. The names and associated complaints:

Apalone – a local species of turtle

A common comment stated there is no pride in living in a soft turtle city.

Jeffrey – for W.H. Jeffrey, the namesake of the Jeffrey asbestos mine

Critics say this still ties the town to asbestos and the leaders indirectly tied to the deaths of many workers. One requirement stated no names of persons.

Phénix – the mythical bird who arose from flames to begin anew

This has no connection to local history.

Trois-Lacs –  a local lake

While the name sounds inviting, it is known as one of the worst lakes in Quebec.

The voting

The mayor, Hugues Grimard, issued a statement, “I am very happy with the approach we have adopted throughout the process and especially with the involvement of our population. I invite our citizens to come and vote in large numbers!”

However, on September 16, the general manager for Asbestos, Quebec, Georges-Andre Gagne, tried to quell the conflict saying, ”some people have expressed their disagreement with the names proposed” and called for a constructive and respectful debate.

The strife is such that some citizens want to keep the name Asbestos, even though it is the name of a toxic and sometimes deadly mineral. Asbestos can cause lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma – a deadly form of cancer.

One citizen, Alexandre Cote, wrote on Facebook, “Honestly, it’s a setup to get Trois-Lacs! The rest of the names are really awful.” His comment joined the many who just said, “ridiculous!!”

The search of a new name will hopefully be settled when voted on between October 14 and 18 by citizens over 14.

Use an Asbestos Abatement Contractor to Demo Single-Family Homes

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Hiring an asbestos abatement contractor is the safest way to contain asbestos fibers when renovating structures built prior to 1980. However, the Occupational and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations don’t apply to dwellings with under four residences. This means that homeowners considering remodeling – or clean up after a disaster – have the responsibility to protect themselves, their families, and their neighbors by following known guidelines.

Protection of a home containing asbestos

When it’s time to remodel, if you have a home built before 1980, you probably have asbestos in tiles, drywall joint compound, mastic, insulation, shingles, popcorn ceilings, or another of the many uses for asbestos in construction. It is impossible to recognize visually, so a prudent homeowner will contract with a professional abatement company. They can test and let you know if it’s safe to proceed or if abatement is necessary. Why is this important? There is no safe level of asbestos exposure. When undisturbed it poses no harm, but if it has deteriorated, or it experiences drilling, sawing, sanding, breaking – fibers are released and can be inhaled. Once in the lungs, it can cause serious diseases such as lung cancer, asbestosis, or the fatal disease – mesothelioma.

Contractors may be unaware or just not care

demolition lacking an asbestos abatement contractor
Dangerous demolition

Contractors often don’t take the dangers of asbestos seriously. They proceed to demolition without testing, personal protective equipment (PPE), or precautions. As they proceed, dust is created that may contain asbestos. This fiber-laden dust doesn’t affect only the person doing the job, but the entire building, anyone in it, the surrounding properties, as well as the clothing and vehicles of the workers.  As a famous asbestos scientist once stated “asbestos dust doesn’t recognize trade classifications” – meaning that once the fiber is liberated it poses a hazard to anyone that comes in contact with it.  For improperly demolished residences, that risk can extend to the families of construction workers, and in many cases, the neighbors of the demolished property.

Hiring an asbestos abatement contractor

While hiring an abatement company to test before that happens may seem an unnecessary expense, it can save lives and is relatively inexpensive. If asbestos is found, the abatement contractor knows the best methods to either repair damage to an asbestos product or remove it completely.

Read Before Removing A Popcorn Ceiling

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Removing a popcorn ceiling is one of the first thing a DIYer does to update a home built between the 1950s and 1978. It’s a messy job, but beyond that, it creates a likely danger to the remodeler and anyone who will live in the home.

Several products used to build homes before 1978 contained asbestos, a mineral used for many reasons. It is fire resistant, easily molded into shapes, has insulating properties and seemed to be an almost perfect addition to many building materials. Popcorn ceilings, tape & bed joint compound, shingles, and textures for walls and ceilings were all popular. Asbestos-containing drywall patching compounds were banned in 1977 by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Work that disturbs any potential asbestos materials can lead to serious diseases, such as lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma – a fatal disease that is only acquired through asbestos exposure. If the structure was built in 1978 or earlier, even 1980 to be safe, any suspicion of asbestos needs to be tested by a professional. It cannot be discerned by a visual inspection.

Why is testing so important?

Asbestos is comprised of microscopic fibers that, when disturbed, can be inhaled. These fibers can remain in the lungs for decades before showing up as a health disaster. Anyone in the vicinity of the fiber dust is susceptible to these diseases. It can circulate through air ducts, land on furniture and clothing, or carpets – anywhere the air takes it.

Testing is not expensive and results can be found within days. It is worth the time and expense to avoid a deadly disease.

What to do when removing a popcorn ceiling

The good news is that undisturbed popcorn ceilings and other asbestos materials are harmless until they are disturbed by deterioration, scraping, sawing, drilling, or any action that releases the fibers. Removing a popcorn ceiling is not a DIY project if it is shown to contain asbestos. That is when a professional and certified asbestos abatement company is required. Many people and contractors are willing to take a risk, but it is a serious and potentially deadly gamble. There is no safe level of exposure to asbestos. The CPSC gives four points to consider:

  • Asbestos is impossible for a consumer to identify without a microscope.      
  • It is not possible to know the exact degree of risk with any low-level exposure.
  • The product is not the problem, it is the release of respirable fibers.
  • Specially trained people are necessary for any removal of asbestos. An untrained person can create more of a hazard than it eliminates.

The bottom line

Asbestos is dangerous when disturbed in any way. Most countries throughout the world have banned its use. The U.S. is one of the few developed countries that has not completely banned the mineral. Removing popcorn ceilings is only one of many threats to health. If you are concerned about this danger that continues to exist, contact you senators, congress persons, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Once a ban is issued, there will still be asbestos in our environment into the next century.  We can make a difference, but only if we care enough to contact those who can add us to the list of countries banning asbestos totally.