began the process of identifying and locating
former Libby vermiculite workers and their
families. Workers were identified (n=1935)
by acquiring W.R. Grace Co. documents and
searching them for worker names, dates of birth,
and social security numbers. In addition to the
1,935 workers, ATSDR estimates that there will
be 4,000 family members included in the project.
Activities at Vermiculite Sites
Receiving Ore from the Libby Mine
For decades, contaminated ore from the Libby
mine was shipped throughout the United States
to processing facilities in different cities. EPA
in the United States that received vermiculite
Chest x-ray of Libby resident
ore from the Libby mine. The EPA list identifies
313 potential sites in 42 states. The activities at
being identified from medical records of the
these potential sites included the manufacturing
referral pulmonologist. The goals of this pilot
of building construction materials, steel, plas-
study are to confirm the presence of asbestos-
tics, fertilizer, and chemicals.
related abnormalities and to identify exposure
People living near these vermiculite processing
pathways. A panel of experts will review the
facilities may have had higher-than-average
participants' chest x-rays and CT scans to con-
levels of asbestos exposure. The most probable
firm asbestos-related abnormalities. Participants
route of human exposure to asbestos-contami-
will also be interviewed.
nated vermiculite was inhalation, either from
occupational exposure, from nonoccupational
Asbestos Registry
ambient air exposure, or from exposure to con-
One of ATSDR's Congressional mandates is
taminated clothing of household members who
"...establishing and maintaining national reg-
were facility employees.
istries of persons exposed to hazardous sub-
In fiscal year 2001, ATSDR provided funds to
stances and persons with serious disease or ill-
seven states (California, Colorado, Louisiana,
nesses." ATSDR is establishing a registry of
Massachusetts, Minnesota, Utah, and
former vermiculite workers and their families.
Wisconsin) to conduct asbestos-related health
This registry will serve as the focal point of
activities for communities that received contam-
future health studies of these populations and
inated Libby ore. Six states will be conducting
allow ATSDR to quickly disseminate new infor-
health statistic reviews for communities that had
mation on new diagnostic techniques and thera-
exfoliation plants and/or facilities that received
pies to registrants.
contaminated vermiculite ore. They will be
This project will follow medical testing con-
using existing health outcome data (that is,
ducted by ATSDR. Following the completion of
cancer registry data and vital records data) to
the medical testing conducted in 2000, ATSDR
determine whether the numbers of cases of
chapter 3 47
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