October 25th, 2007

A man in Pennsylvania has a big problem with his neighbor. Between the nose, the commotion and the trash that blows into his yard, he has reported all problems to officials with no avail. The problem is that the neighbor is a waste transfer site, and the trash contains asbestos.

A Pennsylvania man is irate that, despite complaints about his neighbor, nothing is being done about his problems. He has documented damage to his property, trash that is blown into his yard and loud noise levels at all hours of the day. The reason nothing is being done, though, is because the man’s neighbor is a federally regulated short-line railroad deposit that carries construction debris, including asbestos. Since the line is federally controlled, state and local officials cannot help the resident.

The asbestos is the main concern for the resident. When asbestos is removed from a demolished building, the substance can get ground into a dust that can be inhaled. Breathing in asbestos fibers can lead to respiratory illnesses including emphysema and mesothelioma, a type of aggressive lung cancer. Mesothelioma, which results from asbestos fibers becoming stuck in the lungs, can take years to diagnose and is usually terminal when it is discovered.