Asbestos is a common mineral found in many products, especially plumbing and construction materials. Asbestos is a natural mineral, and before it is used in these products it needs to mined. There are a few mining corporation that extract asbestos in industrial quantities and one of these corporations is the Vermont Asbestos Group or VAG. As the name says, the mining takes place in the State of Vermont, at the asbestos mine.
The Vermont Asbestos Group has been founded by workers in the mid 70s' following the regional EPA's threat to close the mines and quarries. The founding took place after the workers bought about 80 percent of the shares.
In the early 90s' the health department requested the Vermont Asbestos Group to properly dispose the large piles of toxic waste gathered after processing asbestos. These piles contain a lot of asbestos fibers, which are very easy to swallow or inhale by people living in the area. The mines closed soon after.
Vermont Asbestos Group
Here are some facts about the VAG:
- inactive since 1993
- the site consists of several mine and mill buildings and two large mill tailings
- up to 96 percent of the asbestos in the US came from these mines
- Lowell and Eden was the name of the company that owned the site
- the ANR (Association of Natural Resources) had an important role in the sites management retreat from the area
The site of the mines has not been cleared to this day, but the State of Vermont together with government agencies studied the site and are determined to clear it as soon as possible. The state filed a claim against the Vermont Asbestos Group so that they pay for the site to be cleared. Further discussions about the problem are held as you read this, and the trial is close to an end, and will probably have a positive outcome. The Health Department issued several warnings regarding the high risk of asbestosis and lung cancer in the area as a result of the fact that the site still contains several million tons of toxic waste. The population in the area is advised to have 2 to 3 cancer tests per year. Neutralization of the toxic is not possible because of the large amounts, these piles can only be disposed properly in specially designed places.
Contact asbestosis and mesothelioma centers if you would like to be up to date with this issue. It is completely free.
