January 20th, 2008

A Senator in Illinois is raising awareness of asbestos that can be found at the Illinois Beach State Park. The asbestos has been a concern for years, but new air tests are showing the level of asbestos is rising.

A Senator in Illinois is now making the Illinois Beach State Park high on his list of concerns. The beach has tested positive for low levels of asbestos for years. The material washes up on the sand around Lake Michigan, and dries up on the beaches in Illinois. Though separate independent tests have shown that the levels of asbestos are not hazardous, an air test conducted in the summer of 2006 showed a jump in the levels of airborne asbestos along the beach. The Senator wants to address the problem before it becomes a health threat to the public.

Asbestos is usually a harmless material, used in insulation, flooring and many other everyday items. Asbestos only poses a threat when the material begins to break down, flaking into airborne particles that can be breathed in. When asbestos is introduced into the body, usually the body cannot expel it and the particles become stuck. Mesothelioma is a type of lung cancer that occurs when the particles become stuck in the lungs, and is often times terminal when detected. Emphysema and asbestosis have also been linked to asbestos exposure.