Name of Session:
Session A 10
A Review of ATSDR’s Health-related Activities in Response to Asbestos-Contaminated Ore Found in Libby, Montana
Description of Session:
Vermiculite ore is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral widely used in various consumer products such as attic insulation and lawn and garden products. While most vermiculite ore does not pose a health hazard, the vermiculite mined from Libby, Montana was contaminated with naturally occurring asbestos. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has documented a significant number of asbestos-related deaths among Libby residents. Furthermore, this contaminated ore was shipped to hundreds of locations around the US for processing. While the Libby mine is now closed, people who worked in, or lived near, the Libby mine or vermiculite processing facilities may have been exposed to hazardous levels of asbestos while the facilities were in operation. Exposure to asbestos can cause life-threatening health conditions such as asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. This presentation details some of the various follow-up activities that have been conducted to date—by ATSDR and partnering state health departments—to help evaluate the potential health effects among Libby residents and populations throughout the US who might have been exposed.
| Presenter(s) | |
|---|---|
| Moderator: Vikas Kapil, DO | VKapil@cdc.gov |
| Presenter 1: Kevin Horton, MSPH | dhorton@cdc.gov |
| Presenter 2: Vikas Kapil, DO
Title of Presentation: Libby, Montana Medical Screening Gastroenteritis |
VKapil@cdc.gov |
| Presenter 3: Natalia Melnikova, MD, PhD
Title of Presentation: Mesothelioma Surveillance |
nmelnikova@cdc.gov |
| Presenter 4: Oleg Muravov, MD, PhD
Title of Presentation: MN Community Survey |
oim0@cdc.gov |
Presenter 5: Theodore Larson, MPH Title of Presentation: Worker Studies |
tlarson@cdc.gov |
Presenter 6: Barbara Anderson, PE Title of Presentation: Exposure Assessments |
BAAnderson@cdc.gov |
| Presenter 7: Steve Dearwent, PhD | SDearwent@cdc.gov |
