Asbestos Tests Show New Jersey Sports Field Poses No Risk

Asbestos was discovered last month at a public area in Lyndhurst, New Jersey, which prompted concerns that there may be exposure risks for locals. Now, however, those fears have been allayed, as tests have come back negative indicating there is no significant hazard. 

The problems began when chunks of asbestos were found lying on the ground at a newly-finished recreation field in Lyndhurst. An investigation was then carried out to determine just how much asbestos might be present in the soil of the recreation area.

Mayor Richard DiLascio said the asbestos was found near the property line of the recreation field, adjacent to an old railroad track.

Officials believe that it’s likely the asbestos came from the railroad and was exposed during the installation of a boundary fence around the recreation area.

Exposure to asbestos is dangerous because the substance is a known human carcinogen and it has been linked to cause a range of serious diseases, including mesothelioma. Other diseases that can develop from exposure to asbestos include lung cancer and asbestosis.

Malignant mesothelioma can be especially harmful due to the long latency period of the disease. In most cases, the disease takes anywhere between 20 and 50 years to develop. This is largely because mesothelioma symptoms don’t even occur until the disease has reached an advanced stage of development.

Luckily for the town, the tests on asbestos have come back negative. The environmental survey carried out on the recreation field has shown there is no dangerous accumulation of asbestos anywhere on the site.

Mayor DiLascio said, “What we found was a sandwich bag full of asbestos in an area probably 100 feet long and five feet wide. We called in the DEP and submitted a plan on how to deal with it. The fields were checked and the fields are clean.”

The asbestos was found at a depth of between 18 and 26 inches, and testing involved a process called soil boring.

With the tests completed, the loose asbestos has now been removed. The area where the asbestos was found has been capped with fresh soil, and the recreation area is now safe for public use.

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 20th, 2008 at 3:36 pm and is filed under Asbestos Exposure, Asbestos Testing, Mesothelioma. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS feed. Responses are currently closed, but you trackback from your own site.