May 19th, 2005

The Trial Lawyers for Public Justice in Washington has filed a lawsuit on behalf of Families for Asbestos Compliance, Testing and Safety. The lawsuit on behalf of those living in the St Louis area of Bridgeton aims to stop St Louis and the airport from using a method of asbestos removal that is controversial and has been under dispute.

As part of the legal proceedings, the group is alleging that the city is violating various environmental laws by using a ‘wet’ method of removing asbestos. The group wants courts to find the city guilty of these violations, and also to ensure that the method of removing asbestos is not used in the future. A new runway being created at the airport has resulted in the demolition of various homes and building, and the city has been using wet asbestos removal in its operations to date.

As part of the lawsuit, the group also asks that soil and air be tested in the area to ensure that contamination has not already taken place. A spokesman for the airport responded by stating that the method used “were protective of public health, the environment and workers at the site.”

The wet method was supposed to be a safe one, and it was thought that spraying asbestos before removal would eliminate the risk of airborne fibers. However, the EPA have stated in the past that once the asbestos dried, the asbestos dust and fibers can travel even further than they would have originally.