New study links old asbestos mine to increased health risk
2 Dec 2008 by Wendi Lewis under NewsResidents of Eden and Lowell, Vermont who live within a 10 mile radius of the old Belvedere Mountain Asbestos Mine are being warned by the state Department of Health that they are at increased risk of illness as a result of their exposure to the mine. The warning is a result of the Vermont Asbestos Group Mine Health Study, which examined the impact of a currently inactive asbestos mine and mill that operated from the early 1900s until 1993.
According to the Department, the asbestos ore was mined from open pits producing chrysotile asbestos. The site is made up of a network of mine and mill buildings and structures, and two significant mill tailings piles estimated at 29-20 million tons. The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) has been investigating the property due to significant erosion in the asbestos waste piles, which they believe is migrating off site into nearby streams and wetlands.
An official news release from the Vermont Department of Health dated Nov. 6 said there is an immediate need for additional investigation of the impact of the mine, and the potential for increased asbestos-related health risks for people who live nearby. The EPA is in the early stages of evaluating the site for potential listing on the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL), which would make it eligible for federal funding for a comprehensive cleanup of the site, according to the release.
The Health Department is hampered in its evaluation of the impact of the mine because there is not much information available about the levels of exposure - whether people inhaled asbestos, where, how much, or over what period of time.
The statement quotes Health Commissioner Wendy Davis, MD, as saying, “It is extremely important that Vermonters stay off the mine, and we recommend that you contact your health care provider if you are concerned that you may have been exposed to asbestos.”
A report by FOX Channel 44 serving Burlington and Plattsburgh featured an interview with an Eden resident who wished to remain anonymous. The resident is quoted as saying there was so much asbestos drifting from the mine that at some times the ground appeared to be dusted with snow.
Comments to “New study links old asbestos mine to increased health risk”
December 26th, 2008 at 1:28 am
Why would this asbestos mine be any different than any other asbestos mine.The end results is suffering till death. Look at Libby Mt WR Grace asbestos mine.began in 1963, ended in 1990 and today 80% of the worlds deadly asbestos came from Libby Mt by WR Grace and today millions are suffering and dying and dead.Stay away from Libby Mt
December 28th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
Want to wish you all a very Merry Xmas and New Year full of CHANGE!!! Amen…Really enjoy your site. I would like to know if you would/could put a place where folks who write poetry, as a means to escape the reality of what we live and die with. Today is Dec 28 2008 and it was Dec.28,1999 when I wrote this first poem of my first experience with reality to asbestos/Libby and the fact that it was in 1999, when the whole town was told the truth as to WHY we are sick and dying. From not telling the truth…to the workers and the people.All the rest were aware of this poisoning for years prior to 1999. And since 1999, the deadly exposure has continued on new generations of families by the lies they are being told that Libby is a safe place to live and raise a family.This has been a deadly lie since 1963 when WR Grace came to Libby and knowingly began poisoning all of us and in 40 some years with 80% of the worlds supply of this deadly asbestos/Tremolite coming from Libby Mt and 30 million homes with this deadly insulation in old homes…One can only imagine the magnatude of this Holocaust that was done to all of us.Anyway Wendi, what was done to us was so so wrong as millions are waking up to the Latency of this deadly monster. It has been 9 years today, both my mom and Dad are gone as are many other family and friends. I remember this Xmas 9 years ago as if it was happening today.I kinda recindle this moment this time of years as I miss them so.This poem I dedicate to my Mom and Dad and my Uncle and Father in law and all the people today being told the truth. The title is: Christmas in 1999. Thank you for allowing me to share this with you…
AS I ANTISAPATED SPENDING X-MAS
WITH MY FAMILY AND LOVED ONES
AS I DROVE INTO MY PARENTS DRIVE WAY
SUCH JOY I WOULD SOON SHARE ALL DAY
OPENING THE DOOR TO A MAZE ON THE FLOOR
AND INTO THE FRONT ROOM I SAW MORE AND MORE
ALL AROUND THE HOUSE,A SITE TO SEE
CLEAR PLASTIC HOSES RUN EVERY WHICH WAY
THIS HOSE RUN EVERY WHICH WAY
THIS HOSE WENT LEFT,RIGHT AND BACK
ALL TANGLED UP AND A MESS OF THIS HOSE
WAY IN THE CORNER, A BIG BOX I SEE
ALL THESE HOSES BEGIN THEIR FOR ME TO SEE
EACH ONE OF THESE HOSES, I FOLLOWED TO THEIR END
HOOKED TO THE NOSTROLS, OF MY DEAREST BEST FRIENDS
I STOOD IN THE HALLWAY AND SAW WHAT I SEEN
FROM DOWN IN MY HEART I FELT MY LIFE SCREAM
TWO FRAIL PEOPLE, GASPING FOR AIR
EACH STEP THEY TAKE DOESN'T SEEM FAIR
THEY BOTH AREN'T VERY OLD,60 PLUS YEARS
SO HARD TO WALK, SO PAINFUL TO HEAR
DEAD IN MY TRACKS,MIND IN A DAZE
WHAT I AM SEEING,BRINGS BACK THE OLD DAYS
DAYS OF MY MOM, RUNNING FASTER THAN ME
CHASING ME FOR WRONG WITH A SWITCH FROM A TREE
A WOMAN WHO RAISED SIX CHILDREN WITH LOVE
NEVER TO STOP LOVING TILL HER LAST DAY
ALWAYS THEIR FOR ME WHEN TROUBLE I DO
TEACHING ME RIGHT FROM WRONG THAT I DO
I STOOD FOR A MOMENT,SEEMED LIKE MANY A YEARS
LIFE FLASHING BEFORE ME, HOLDING BACK MY TEARS
AND BESIDE HER, HER LOVE OF 46 YEARS
A HOSE TO MY DAD AND I LOST ALL MY TEARS
THIS IS A X-MAS, I SHALL NEVER FORGET
NEVER BEFORE HAVE I FELT SO SICK
AS WE ALL STOOD,LOOKING AT EACH OTHER
ME THEIR SON,THEY MY FATHER AND MOTHER
WHAT HAS HAPPENED,HOW COULD THIS BE
WHAT I FELT AS MY PARENTS LOOKED AT ME
OH SUCH PAIN I SAW IN BOTH THEIR EYES
A LOOK I FELT AS IF THEY WERE SAYING GOOD BYE
MILES OF TUDES,CONSTANTLY FEEDING THEM AIR
ALL I COULD THINK IS HOW LIFE IS NOT FAIR
CONFINED TO A HOSE, AS FAR AS THE END
SO SLOW EACH STEP, THEIR KNEES THEY CAN'T BEND
IT'S SO HARD TO WRITE DOWN A HURT THAT'S INSIDE
AND FINISH A POEM MY TEARS I CAN'T HIDE
I TURN AWAY FAST AND TAKE A DEEP BREATHE
CRY IN MY SILENCE YET FOOLING NO ONE
THEY DIDN'T SAY MUCH,NOT MUCH COULD THEY SAY
AS WE LOOKED AT EACHOTHER,OH WHAT A DAY
I WALKED OVER TOWARDS THEM TO GIVE THEM A HUG
I WENT TO MY MOM FIRST AS I'VE ALWAYS DONE
I REACH MY ARMS AROUND HER
WANTING TO JUST HOLD HER SO TIGHT
IN MY ARMS AS WE HELD EACH OTHER
SO MANY TIMES AS A SON AND A MOTHER
OVER WHELMED WITH EMOTIONS GOING FASTER THAN LITE
ALL THAT IN LIFE I LOVE AS I'M HOLDING MOM TIGHT
I LOVE YOU DEAR MOTHER, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH
A SPECIAL LOVE SHARED, WHEN EVER WE TOUCH
A THOUGHT OF THIS MOMENT THAT I'M SHARING WITH MOM
A DAY WILL COME AND I WILL BE ALONE
SO I HELD A LITTLE TIGHTER, HER HEART AGAINST MINE
FIGHTING BACK THOUGHTS OF MOM, NOT IN MY ARMS
I GIVE MOM A KISS, SAY I LOVE YOU AGAIN
A EXTRA HUG AND OUR ARMS BECAME UNHOOKED
I LOOKED AT MY DAD, TO GIVE HIM A HUG
HE SEEMED SO DISTANT AS WE BECAME ONE
WITH MY ARMS AROUND DAD,HIS AROUND ME
OVER HIS SHOULDER, IT HURTS WHAT I SEE
HERE IS THE MAN, ONCE STRONG AND SO FREE
HOLDING ME LOOSLY OVER MY SHOULDER TO SEE
TO FEEL WHAT I DID, DAD IN MY ARMS
MY ARMS HOLDING ON, I DON'T WANT TO LET GO
I LOVE YOU DEAR DAD, I SAY CLOSE TO HIS EAR
HOLDING HIM TIGHT, WE COULD FEEL OUR OWN FEARS
AS I LET DAD GO FROM THE LOVE IN MY ARMS
I FELT SO SAD FOR HAVING LET GO
I HAD TO BE EXCUSED,INTO THE BATHROOM, I LOCKED THE DOOR
I SANK TO THE FLOOR, I COULDN'T HOLD BACK NO MORE
I CRIED SO HARD, SEEKING PEACE FROM WITHIN
GOD GIVE ME STRENGTH SO I CAN BEGIN
TO GET TO MY FEET AND HOLD BACK MY TEARS
GO FACE MY LOVED ONES, NOT SHOWING MY FEARS
I DID RATHER WELL YET I KNOW THEY COULD TELL
THEY FELT MY PAIN AS I SHARED IN THEIR HELL
HELPLESS I AM, WHAT'S DONE IT'S TOO LATE
TIME IS A TICKING,TIME IS THEIR FATE
SAYING GOOD BYE TO WHAT I LAST SAW
CHANGES MY LIFE TO STAND AND NOT FALL
ALL THAT MATTERS AND ALL THAT I SEE
I LOVE YOU MOM AND DAD,BEST FRIENDS WE'LL FOREVER BE…
GOD BLESS DAD AND MOM FROM YOUR LOVING SON, MIKE……… 12/28/1999
December 28th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
THIS POEM WENDI WAS WROTE AFTER MY FATHER IN LAW DIED FROM ASBESTOS.HE SUFFERED MANY YEARS PRIOR TO HIS DEATH, AS MOST DO.1 CALL THIS POEM; TODAY I'M TOLD….
TODAY I'M TOLD,I HAVE ASBESTOSIS IN BOTH MY LUNGS AND THAT I AM BEING SENT HOME TO DIE BECAUSE THERE IS NO CURE AND ASBESTOSIS IS MY GUARENTEE TO DEATH…
TODAY I AM SCARED TO WHAT HAS BECOME OF ME. I NO LONGER CAN RUN NOR WALK VERY FAR. LIFE'S GETTING HARDER EVERYDAY…
TODAY I'M SADDENED BY THOSE WHO LOVE ME AS THEY TRY TO HIDE THE TRUTH AND THEIR PAIN, KNOWING I SHALL SOON DIE AND THAT THEY WILL WITNESS MY EVERY MOMENTS, UNTIL I DIE…
TODAY I FEEL SO LOST BECAUSE MY LIFE DEPENDS ON A TUBE THAT PUMPS OXEGYN INTO MY LUNGS, TO KEEP ME ALIVE. KNOWING BEYOND THE END OF THAT HOSE LIES, THE END OF MY LIFE
TODAY I AM MAD BECAUSE I CAN'T FEED MYSELF AND SOMEONE HAS TO BATH ME,DRESS ME AND CHANGE MY SOILED PANTS.IT'S TIMES LIKE THESE I WISH I WERE DEAD…
TODAY I AM IN THE HOSPITAL.I'VE BECOME TOO MUCH FOR MY LOVED ONES TO ENDURE AND I AM CRYING INSIDE BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN I LEAVE HERE, I'LL BE IN HEAVEN…
TODAY IS THE WORST, NO FEELINGS IN MY HANDS AND FEET, BOTH ARE TURNING BLUE AND NON-STOP MORPHINE IS ALL THAT'S LEFT, TO EASE MY PAIN…
TODAY I TRIED MY HARDEST FOR MY LAST BREATHE,FOR MY LAST TOUCH OF A HAND IN MINE, AS THE LAST WORDS I HEARD AND THE LAST WORDS I SPOKE, I LOVE YOU…
TODAY…I'M IN HEAVEN. NO PAIN FOR EVER MORE. IT'S REALLY BEAUTIFUL HERE. AND I SHALL AWAIT FOR YOU ALL TO JOIN ME IN ETERNAL LIFE AND LOVE….GOD BLESS AND AMEN
My father in law was diagnosed in 1999 with asbestosis in both his lungs.He suffered for many years prior, up to his last breathe on January 30,2002. The above is a summery of his last years and this is how I would describe those years of having to watch my, Dad and many others die such a horrible and painful death as asbestos/Meso. We watched him suffocate to death.In 1999, I too was told I have asbestos in both my lungs.I too worked at the mine and lived in Libby most of my exposed life.
TODAY I'M SCARED TO WHAT HAS BECOME OF ME.I NO LONGER CAN RUN NOR WALK VERY FAR.LIFE IS GETTING HARDER EVERYDAY…
This is written in honor and memory of our beloved father,friend and human being, who left us to be in peace. Donald M. Kaeding 10-16-22/1-30-02 by Michael Crill and all who love him 02-02 Thank you
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