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Families Warned of Asbestos Detected in Sumas River

Friday, July 24, 2009

Federal environmental investigators in Washington State have found significant levels of naturally-occurring asbestos in Sumas River downstream of Swift Creek.

The asbestos comes from a massive landslide on Sumas Mountain that deposits up to 120,000 cubic yards of asbestos-laden sediment into Swift Creek a year. The latest sampling revealed asbestos and several metals in water, bank sediments and flood deposits at higher concentrations in Sumas River than in previous samples of dredged material from Swift Creek. The concentrations ranged up to 27 percent asbestos along the Sumas riverbank.

“These asbestos levels deserve close attention,” said Dan Opalski, director of EPA’s Superfund Cleanup Office in Seattle. “The new data will enable agencies to make important health recommendations so local families can make informed decisions to protect themselves.”

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that is made up of thin fibers. Inhaling the microscopic asbestos fibers can increase the chance of developing asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma and lung cancer.

EPA Fact Sheet

Labels: National News

posted by Wade Rawlins at 10:33 AM
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