Asbestos in El Dorado Hills: More Tests Are Needed

Comments (2)

The Associated Press

Published: December 29, 2006

EL DORADO COUNTY — Government scientists say more study is needed to determine whether the 31,000 residents of El Dorado Hills have an increased risk of cancer caused by naturally occurring asbestos.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported in 2005 that every-day activities such as bike riding along a nature trail or playing baseball increased the risk from asbestos fibers found in rocks around the Sierra foothills town east of Sacramento.

The U-S Geological Survey now says most of the fibers found by the E-P-A study do not meet the definition of commercial-grade asbestos.

But the latest report says dust clouds raised by construction and every-day activities still might contain enough asbestos-like fibers to be dangerous.

It says more research is needed to track the danger.

"If there is an elevated risk, then it should follow that people are getting sick. The neighborhoods in EDH are old enough that any asbestos related diseases should have already developed amongst the residence in higher number than the general population. That has not happened. It seems that this is a well orchestrated effort to scare people from moving there."
-> Posted by EO / Jan 12, 2007

"Give me a break!
I live up here in the mountains, and this stuff is everywhere, the trick to living with it, is don't refine it, and then sit around day in and day out inhaling!

This is just another industry based on scare tactics, to leach money out of the tax payes.

The exposure we get is no different than the valley, the particulates that are small enough to get caught in the lungs, are also carried on the wind.
Which Sac. breaths!"
-> Posted by Tom Reiber / Jan 03, 2007