Greensburg in Asbestos Fear
KANSAS - According to Leland Sumptur, an asbestos specialist, the residents and volunteers passing through destroyed Greensburg are being exposed to deadly asbestos.
He said that it's not his mere assumption but there is a very good chance for asbestos presence in the debris.
Sumptur is an abatement manager who teaches and has consulted nationally.
There were 1000 private residences in Greensburg which were destroyed in a tornado on May 4.
Government regulators has already acknowledged that the debris could be asbestos contaminated however, a genuine proof has not been given so far.
The federal environmental officials say that there is nothing they can do about this if air samples don't indicate the issue.
Considering the fact that most of the homes in Greensburg were built before 1980, there is a good chance for the presence of asbestos as it was a common construction material before 80. That's the reason why experts believe that government should do something to protect the health of residents and volunteers who are at risk.
Sumptur said it's a shame that government is doing nothing to prevent the hazard.
"Regulators don't have the authority under federal and state regulations to require asbestos be removed from single-family homes," said Becky Ingrum Dolph, an attorney for the Environmental Protection Agency.
She added that government had done everything it could do legally to protect residents and volunteers.
"The EPA had taken eight air samples in and around Greensburg to see if asbestos fibers were in the air however, the samples came up negative," she said. "We don't have any authority to require the individual homeowner to do anything without the positive samples."
