Asbestos in Alaska
ranking in U.S. for mesothelioma & asbestosis deaths
Although Alaska is currently the lowest ranking state in the United States for asbestos-related deaths, environmental and occupational exposure to the toxic mineral is still common. The state's complex and active geology creates massive deposits of ultramafic and serpentine mineral ore, two rock types in which naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) is formed. Processed asbestos has also been widely used by Alaskan industries for commercial materials such as insulation, pipe and furnace wraps, roof shingles, floor tiles and textured paints. Despite the associated health risks, many Alaskan companies used the toxic mineral as a building material before the Environmental Protection Agency began to regulate its use in the 1970s and '80s.
Whether occurring naturally or found in buildings, homes or worksites, asbestos poses a health risk when the mineral's fibers are released into the air. Exposure to airborne asbestos is known to cause a variety of respiratory diseases including lung cancer, asbestosis, pleural effusion and a rare cancer called mesothelioma
Treatment Centers in Alaska
Providence Alaska Medical Centerview more
Mesothelioma and Asbestosis Deaths, 1999-2008
- 43mesothelioma deaths in Alaska
- 0asbestosis deaths in Alaska
- 43total mesothelioma and asbestosis deaths
Occupations and Environmental Areas at Risk
Asbestos' natural resistance to fire, heat, electrical and chemical damage has inspired many industrial uses. Alaskan industries with the highest risk of asbestos exposure include shipbuilding, mining, milling, oil refining and power generation.
The state's abundant natural deposits of asbestos have been known to form alongside other minerals that are frequently mined and processed. If minerals at any of these sites are contaminated with asbestos, mining can release airborne fibers, putting miners and surrounding populations at risk of developing asbestos-related diseases. Further, the unknowing end users of any contaminated materials are also at risk. This is a growing problem for Alaska's construction industry because a high demand for gravel is complicated by asbestos contamination at many local sources.
- Challenges Facing the Alaskan Construction Industry
The discovery of naturally occurring asbestos has slowed, and in some cases even stopped, the progress of various construction projects in Alaska. In 2000, for example, a project to resurface 20 miles of the Dalton Highway was halted after NOA was found at the material site. This discovery delayed the project and significantly increased its overall cost.
In Ambler, the construction of a sewage lagoon and an airport project were delayed for years after a similar discovery prompted the closure of a local gravel pit in 2003. Gravel from the asbestos contaminated pit supplied city roads and became a public health issue when vehicle use generated clouds of airborne dust. This dust is particularly dangerous for drivers of All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) that frequent these roads. Efforts to find a nearby gravel source free of naturally occurring asbestos were unsuccessful. Some locations in Alaska do not have access to gravel sources free of NOA, a challenging obstacle for upcoming construction projects like a proposed new gas pipeline that will require 50 to 60 million cubic yards of gravel to complete.
- Sources of Natural Asbestos Deposits in Alaska
Four major locations in Alaska's panhandle contain deposits of asbestos, including the cities of Juneau and Ketchikan. The City and Borough of Juneau predicts that asbestos is present in the majority of the region's high-quality rock deposits. Southeast Alaska also contains asbestos deposits throughout Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and along the Yukon River near Kobuk Valley.
In Central Alaska, natural asbestos deposits and historic asbestos prospects can be found along a northeast-trending ridge of the Yukon-Tanana Upland Terrane. Included in this area are portions of the Yukon River and the Dalton Highway. West Alaska features asbestos deposits on the Cape Newenham peninsula near Bristol Bay. To the north, the mineral-rich mountains of the Brooks Range contain large deposits of jade, copper and NOA. Other notable areas with naturally occurring asbestos in the Arctic Circle include the cities of Kobuk and Ambler as well as Shungnak and nearby Dahl Creek. Experts believe that over time more deposits will be documented, specifically in mineral-rich locations that are likely to be developed.
Jobsites with Known Asbestos Exposure
Arctic Surplus
Arctic Surplus is a former Alaskan salvage yard covering 24-acres of land in southeast Fairbanks. The site contained salvaged materials and scrap that accumulated for more than 40 years, including asbestos rolls, bricks, pipe wrapping and insulation. Also known as Arctic Salvage and McPeak Salvage, the site was deemed a public health hazard after an investigation revealed contaminated soil and groundwater as well as past exposures of workers to asbestos, lead and other harmful on-site contaminants. In 1989 the Environmental Protection Agency surrounded the site with a fence and removed 22,200 pounds of asbestos. The following year, Arctic Surplus was placed on the National Priorities List as a Superfund site. Cleanup efforts and safety evaluations continued for decades until the site was deleted from the National Priorities List in 2006.
Alaska House Bill 333
In response to construction project setbacks on account of natural asbestos contamination, House Bill 333 was introduced to offer a legislative solution. Appointing the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities to develop standards and procedures, the bill allows for the use of NOA in private and state-run construction projects. Asbestos-containing materials are strictly regulated by several federal agencies, yet the regulation of naturally occurring asbestos is still rare but growing in popularity. California and Virginia have been regulating NOA use for years and several other states are currently considering similar measures. Usually when asbestos contamination is discovered, projects are delayed until a solution is found on a case-by-case basis. Referred to finance in 2010, the bill will let problematic construction projects continue while the state takes measures to protect the health of Alaskan workers and their communities.
Sources:
- Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry (2011).Retrieved from http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HAC/PHA/HCPHA.asp?State='AK'
- Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.dec.state.ak.us/air/anpms/Asbestos/Nat_asb.htm
- Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation: Division of Air Quality. (2003). Retrieved from http://www.dec.state.ak.us/air/anpms/asbestos.pdf
- Centers for Disease Control. (n.d.). Asbestosis and Related Exposures http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nas/RDRP/appendices/chapter3/a3-97.pdf
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. (2011). Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2008 [Data file]. Retrieved from CDC WONDER Online Database: http://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html
- EWG-Government Statistics on Deaths Due to Asbestos-related Diseases. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.ewg.org/sites/asbestos/tables/deathdetails_county
- Government Data on Asbestos Mortality. (2009). Retrieved from: http://www.ewg.org/sites/asbestos/maps/government_data.php?stab=AK
- United States Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d). Retrieved from http://yosemite.epa.gov/r10/cleanup.nsf/webpage/Alaska+Cleanup+Sites
- ATSDR-PHA-HC-Arctic Surplus. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/docid=898&pg=1
- NPL Site Narrative for Arctic Surplus. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/sites/npl/nar1284.htm
- NPL Site Narrative for Fort Richardson. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/sites/npl/nar1401.htm
Free Must-Read Books on Mesothelioma
Get free must-read books written for mesothelioma patients and their families
Mesothelioma News
- Politics Behind Blocking of Demolition for Asbestos-Containing Building 02/08/2012 - The fight between Democrats and Republicans spread beyond the usual bounds of politics into the hazardous worl ..
- Anti-Asbestos Advocate Larry Davis Working Toward Miles for Meso Race Sunday in South Florida 02/07/2012 - Larry Davis probably won't finish the third-annual Miles For Meso Race Sunday in Boca Raton, Florida, but he w ..
- Super Bowl Reminds of NFL Great Merlin Olsen, Who Died from Mesothelioma 02/06/2012 - The New York Giants beat the New England Patriots on Sunday night in Super Bowl XLVI, but the world's biggest ..
© 2012 The Mesothelioma Center |
Last Modified Friday, January 27th, 2012 | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy |
The information provided by The Mesothelioma Center is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Sponsored by a law firm concentrating in asbestos litigation, The Peterson Firm, LLP with offices at 1350 Connecticut Ave, NW, Fifth Floor, Washington DC 20036.
