The Organization formerly Known as CIIT Gets Grant from EPA to Study Asbetos Toxicity

BrooklynDodger(s) comment: Vermiculate in Libby, Montana is a major concern for EPA, especially figuring out remediation in a town likely heavily contaminated. The Libby asbestos is amphibole, like crocidolite and amosite. Most asbestos to which people are and were exposed is a serpentine mineral, crysotile. Increased potency estimates for amphiboles relative to crysotile would much reduce the legacy risks and costs of asbestos. But also trigger greater cleanup efforts in Libby. In addition, estimates increasing the potency of long fibers and suggesting short fibers to be relatively impotent would reduce the legacy risks and costs of brake shoes.

Recently, EPA floated an "approach" to risk assessment that would greatly increase the relative potency of amphiboles and long fibers. The approach was rejected by the EPA Science Advisory Committee, for the second time.

The Dodger(s) will comment on the limited public health value of more mechanistic research on asbestos fiber types in future posts. For now, the Dodger(s) suggest that the more approapriate agency to receive this contract was the National Toxicology Program.


http://www.thehamner.org/docs/Press%20035%20-%20$2%201%20Million%20EPA%20Grant%20to%20Study%20Asbestos%20121908.pdf

The Hamner Institutes for Health Sciences Receives
$2.1 Million Asbestos Research Grant
Environmental Protection Agency Awards Organization Funding To Study Inhaled Vermiculite Fiber

"
The three-year study will include assembling an inhalation exposure system for the exposure of fibers to laboratory animals, conducting range-finding and definitive toxicity studies in rats, and analyzing fiber content of rat tissues following exposure. The study will be led by four key personnel at The Hamner: Darol E. Dodd, Ph.D., DABT; Owen R. Moss, Ph.D; Ed Bermudez, M.S., DABT; and Brian A. Wong, Ph.D."