A construction site in Catonsville, Baltimore County has been shut down due to the concern of asbestos fibers being released during the project. Neighbors who live nearby the site are particularly concerned that they may have been exposed to the toxic substance.

Asbestos is dangerous because any amount of exposure can lead to a range of serious diseases. Such diseases include asbestosis, a debilitating lung condition that reduces lung capacity, and mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer developing within the mesothelial lining of the lungs, heart, and abdomen.

Asbestos was widely used throughout much of the twentieth century due to its insulating and fire-resistant properties. The toxic mineral can still be found in thousands products that were used until the 1980s, including many types of construction materials.

However, in the case of this Catonsville construction site, the issue is not asbestos-containing construction materials. Rather, it is naturally occurring asbestos in the ground that is causing the problem. Asbestos rock was originally crushed during the early stages of site preparation, which sent asbestos dust into the air and to nearby homes and businesses.

Construction on the site has been stopped while contractors, neighbors, and other officials attempt to figure out how much exposure has already occurred and how to prevent further danger. Community members are especially worried because it’s impossible to predict the long term consequences of exposure.

Asbestos-related diseases such as pleural mesothelioma can take between two and five decades to develop after the initial exposure has occurred. As a result, the locals who have been exposed to asbestos from the construction site may not know they have contracted the disease for quite some time.

The site owner, Enterprise Homes, has hired a geotechnical engineer to confirm the presence of asbestos. However, apart from controlling dust emissions on construction sites, there are no real regulations that restrict or control what to do when naturally-occurring asbestos is discovered.

Enterprise Homes has so far promised that air quality will be monitored while the work is in progress, and nearby homes will be tested for asbestos in the future.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 7th, 2008 at 11:40 am and is filed under Asbestos Exposure. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS feed. Responses are currently closed, but you trackback from your own site.