February 1st, 2008

A Fort Myers landfill is being investigated by the Department of Environmental Protection after anonymous calls were received stating that asbestos had been dumped there.

The Department of Environmental Protection is closing in on a landfill in Fort Myers, Florida after anonymous complaints were received stating that asbestos had been dumped there. Asbestos can only be dumped in landfills approved by the DEP, and the one off Alico Road is not approved for this hazardous material. Asbestos must also be properly contained before it can be disposed of in a landfill.

The precautions are to keep the public safe from asbestos exposure. Friable asbestos can break apart when it is mishandled or disposed of improperly. When asbestos breaks apart, it can become airborne and can be inhaled into the lungs causing many types of respiratory diseases. Mesothelioma, emphysema and asbestosis can result from breathing in airborne asbestos fibers. Perhaps the most concerning of asbestos-related diseases, mesothelioma results from inhaled asbestos particles lodging in the tissue within the lungs. The particles keep the lungs from absorbing oxygen, slowly killing the affected tissue and suffocating the victim over years or decades. The complaints are currently being investigated, and no asbestos has been identified at the landfill yet.