September 29th, 2007

Tons of deadly asbestos was discovered illegally dumped in a vacant lot in Connecticut. The asbestos is part of construction debris that was stuffed into a trailer and left at the site.

A trailer left in a vacant lot in Connecticut was found to contain tons of construction debris, which was partially made up of asbestos. The deadly material was found after reports of an abandoned 48-foot trailer were investigated, and the trailer was opened. The illegal dumping of asbestos can lead to not only fines for violations of the Clean Air Act, but can also lead to respiratory problems for people that came into close contact with the trailer before knowing that was in there.

The asbestos caused such a large concern due to the fact that asbestos exposure can lead to respiratory illnesses including asbestosis, emphysema and mesothelioma. If not properly sealed or disposed of, asbestos can break into airborne fibers that can be breathed in. The fibers can become caught in the lungs, killing the tissue there and resulting in a form of lung cancer called mesothelioma. The asbestos, along with the trailer, was cleaned and sealed by professionals, and the asbestos was disposed of safely. No one was thought to be in danger as a result of the asbestos.