Asbestos From Massive Hangar Fire at Tustin Air Base Closes Schools

CBS Los Angeles by Matthew Rodriguez

Los Angeles, CA – Tustin Unified School District closed all campuses on Thursday after air quality experts detected asbestos at the historic hangar that burned down yesterday. These closures will affect preschools and daycares. The South Coast Air Quality Management District collected the samples from the public land surrounding the hangar. Crews found that the Tustin Legacy area tested greater than 1% positive for asbestos, according to the district. As a result, the city declared a local state of emergency Thursday afternoon to coordinate the cleanup effort with outside agencies such as the United States Navy. For the full text, click here.

NYC Comptroller Urges OxyChem to Stop Importing Asbestos

Chief Investment Officer by Michael Katz

New York, NY – New York City Comptroller Brad Lander has called on Occidental Petroleum Corp.-owned chemicals company Occidental Chemical Corporation, commonly known as OxyChem, to commit to stop importing asbestos and to speed up its transition to a non-asbestos technology. As comptroller, Lander is a trustee of the New York City Fire Pension Fund and the New York City Police Pension Fund, which collectively own $61 million worth of Occidental Petroleum securities, as of September 1. In a letter to Occidental Petroleum Board Chair Jack Moore, Lander noted that the chlor-alkali production method that uses asbestos has largely been replaced worldwide by a method that does not use asbestos. For full text, click here

 

Are you Required to Report Asbestos Data to EPA? New Reporting Instructions Are Available!

EPA Washington, DC

On Monday, EPA announced the availability of reporting instructions for entities required to report on their use of asbestos under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). In July 2023, EPA finalized a rule that requires comprehensive reporting on all six fiber types of asbestos as the agency continues its work to address exposure to this known carcinogen and strengthen the evidence that will be used to further protect people from this dangerous chemical. Reporters must use the asbestos section 8(a)(1) reporting tool on EPA’s Central Data Exchange (CDX) to submit information. EPA will not accept paper submissions or electronic media. For the  For the full text, click here.

Are you Required to Report Asbestos Data to EPA? New Reporting Instructions Are Available!

EPA Washington, DC

On Monday, EPA announced the availability of reporting instructions for entities required to report on their use of asbestos under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). In July 2023, EPA finalized a rule that requires comprehensive reporting on all six fiber types of asbestos as the agency continues its work to address exposure to this known carcinogen and strengthen the evidence that will be used to further protect people from this dangerous chemical. Reporters must use the asbestos section 8(a)(1) reporting tool on EPA’s Central Data Exchange (CDX) to submit information. EPA will not accept paper submissions or electronic media. For the  For the full text, click here.

Inside EPA: Asbestos Ban Bill Gains First GOP Cosponsor But Prospects Uncertain

Inside EPA Washington, DC

Anti-asbestos groups have convinced a House Republican to co-sponsor their bill seeking to ban the carcinogen from use in the United States, the first time a GOP lawmaker has backed the legislation, though the Senate version remains without a GOP co-sponsor and Congress is unlikely to act on the legislation anytime soon amid the looming government shutdown. Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) signed on as a co-sponsor to H.R. 2402 on Sept. 26, according to the official congressional tracking website Congress.gov. The bill, and its Senate companion, seeks to ban the use of commercial asbestos in the United States. For full text, email info@eia-usa.org

Asbestos Lurks in Turkey’s Earthquake Zone

Deutsche Welle Turkey

In Hatay, southern Turkey, crews are still demolishing buildings that were heavily damaged in the earthquake that struck on February 6, 2023, and killed tens of thousands of people. Yellow diggers move piles of leftover rubble, kicking up clouds of dust that shroud the city. An expert team from the Turkish Chamber of Environmental Engineers collected dust samples in Hatay, which were then analyzed by AGT Vonka Engineering and Laboratory Services, an internationally accredited laboratory, for DW. The investigation shows the presence of asbestos in the region despite official claims to the contrary.  For full text, click here.

New Mexico OSHB Fines City of Albuquerque for Gateway Center Asbestos

WRAL News by Allison Giron and Marilyn Upchurch Albuquerque, NM

Willful and serious. That is how New Mexico’s Environment Department’s Occupational Health and Safety Bureau (OHSB) describes the City of Albuquerque’s actions in ignoring asbestos while renovating the Gateway Center. The state organization levied its largest fine ever against the City of Albuquerque. The debris was swept up with brooms and thrown in the trash. Workers were not wearing PPE and all this was done while the HVAC system was still running, possibly transporting the dust through the building.  For the full text, click here.

Asbestos Foes See Boost For Ban Bill From Olin Support, Spending Rider

Inside EPA US

Advocates for banning commercial imports and use of asbestos are rallying to push a legislative ban over the finish line with the help of a new and unusual ally, Olin Corp. — one of the largest remaining users of the mineral — and a little-noticed provision in last year’s spending bill they say resolves a battle over asbestos-contaminated talc that sunk a prior bill. For the full text, click here

Homeowners Impacted by Oregon Road, Gray Fires Facing New Challenges with Asbestos Testing

KREM CBS Spokane, WA

Weeks after the Oregon Road and Gray fires burned through parts of Spokane County, heartache turned into headaches for homeowners who lost everything to the flames. That’s because many of them are finding out they’re required to get an asbestos test before they clean up the debris. One reason it’s become a headache is the question of how much it’ll cost. One woman who spoke to KREM 2 anonymously says she was told it could be anywhere from $200 to $2,000. That question was on the minds of many attending a recent community meeting in Medical Lake, which touched on debris management. There, officials shared each burned structure needs to be tested for asbestos before cleanup begins. For full text, click here.

Using Marine Bacteria to Detoxify Asbestos

Environmental Factor Philadelphia, PA

NIEHS grantees from the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) Department of Earth and Environmental Science recently discovered that bacteria from extreme marine environments have the potential to detoxify asbestos. Their study, published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, suggests that the marine microbes may be better candidates for asbestos bioremediation than previously tested fungi and soil bacteria. Pérez-Rodríguez teamed with Reto Gieré, Ph.D., who has a long history characterizing asbestos minerals. They thought that these extremophilic microbes might be good candidates for asbestos bioremediation because they use inorganic compounds and interact with a variety of minerals in their natural environments. For full text, click here.