EPA And Asbestos In Libby, Montana Set in the northwest corner of Montana, just 35 miles east of Idaho and 65 miles south of Canada, is the small western town of Libby. The town sits in a picturesque valley carved by the Kootenai River, with the spectacular Cabinet Mountains to the south. Libby has population of less than 2,900, but about 12,000 people live within a ten-mile radius. Libby is the Lincoln County seat, and its assets include clean water, beautiful scenery and recreational opportunities such as fishing, hiking, hunting, boating and skiing. EPA has been working in Libby since 1999. An Emergency Response Team was sent to investigate local concern and news articles about asbestos-contaminated vermiculite. Since that time, EPA has been working closely with the community to clean up contamination and reduce risks to human health.
Background page on Libby Asbestos Site
Are You New to Libby?  Contact the EPA Information Center (293-6194) for the latest information on the work being done by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The staff will answer your questions, or direct you to the appropriate resource. You can find out if your property has been screened for asbestos and if any cleanup work was done. Also, you can see samples of vermiculite in various forms, and you can pick up a number of informative flyers and brochures. Rest assured, Libby is a great place to live. The health effects seen today are primarily related to past exposures to miners and their families. Today, air monitoring indicates that it is safe to walk the streets of Libby without fear of Libby asbestos exposure. Since November, 1999, EPA has cleaned up the major source areas around town. EPA is now cleaning up smaller sources found in a variety of places in and around peoples homes and businesses. EPA conducts stringent clearance sampling after cleanup and has begun some targeted sampling to measure the effectiveness of cleanup several months later. EPA is also working on long-term plans to ensure that the cleanup remains protective and human health risks continue to be reduced over time. Until the cleanup is finished, disturbance of vermiculite is the most likely source of exposures to asbestos. So, learn what it looks like and where it is likely to be found - then leave it alone! Please visit the links on the left sidebar for tips and information about vermiculite, asbestos, health information and resources, and U.S. EPA activities including sampling and cleanup, community involvement, updates and contacts. | 
