Closed Factory Poses Health Concerns

Campbell Community Recorder, Katie Weitkamp
Published September 4, 2005

WILDER - The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry reported Thursday, Sept. 22 that employees a plant that formerly operated in Wilder were exposed to asbestos. The W.R. Grace Company formerly operated a plant at 112 North Street that processed vermiculite from a mine in Libby, Mont. That vermiculite, which was used to make insulation, was found to have asbestos in it. The site dealt with the hazardous materials from 1952-1992. Asbestos has been linked to lung disease, pulmonary hypertension, immunological effects and cancer, but exposure to it does not mean a person will develop health problems. "We concluded in the report that past workers at the W.R. Grace factory were exposed to a public health hazard," said James Durant, an environmental health scientist with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, who conducted the health study. The agency is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He said those at risk of exposure also include anyone who lived in the same house as a W.R. Grace factory employee because the asbestos could have traveled home with the worker on their clothing. Also, anyone who may have been in the waste-rock area may have been exposed. The agency could not determine the extent of exposure to former residents who lived near the plant, but said most current residents around the plant are not being exposed to asbestos from the site. Durant said in some of the other locations where that vermiculite was processed some citizens took home some of the waste rock for use in their yards. He said there is no indication that happened in Wilder based on conversations with former workers and residents. "No one is aware that any waste rock went out into the community," he said. Wilder City Administrator Terry Vance said the factory building is still standing and it was cleaned up by the Environmental Protection Agency about a year ago. "It's still there," he said. "It has new owners but it's still somewhat vacant." He said it is now owned by Harry Grau and Sons, but the company has yet to move into the location because of the clean-up costs. Durant said it would be impossible to calculate how many people have been exposed to the asbestos. He said at any given time the factory employed between 10 and 30 people. He was not sure of the rate of employee turnover. He was not sure if employees were aware they were exposed to asbestos while they worked at the factory. "A lot of the operations pre-dated OSHA," he said. A representative from the W.R. Grace Company could not be reached for comment. If former employees of the factory or Wilder citizens feel they have been exposed to the asbestos Durant said they should alert their physician, stop smoking and get up to-date flu and pneumonia shots. For more information about the asbestos exposure call Health Communication Specialist Maria Teran-MacIver at 1-888-422-8737.