The Kansas department of corrections is under investigation by the EPA for allegedly exposing workers to dangerous amounts of asbestos dust during an asbestos abatement project at the Topeka prison in 2005. According to state and federal laws specially licenses contractors must be used for asbestos removal projects to ensure that the proper safe handling and disposal procedures are followed. The Kansas department of corrections carried out similar projects during the following years for which evidence exists proving that the proper measures were taken to protect inmates and workers from the dangers of asbestos contamination. No such evidence exists for the 2005 project, however.
Exposure to asbestos dust can cause a variety of health complications including mesothelioma, a rare and terminal cancer that can develop years or even decades after exposure to the dangerous substance. When the microscopic asbestos fibers are inhaled or ingested due to improper handling methods they can easily enter the body and pass through the lung or intestinal walls because of their unique, needle like shape. The fibers eventually become lodged in the mesothelium, a protective lining that encases the body’s organs, where it causes the soft tissue to scar. That scarring can develop into malignant tumors over years or even decades, which then spread throughout the body inevitably causing death.
According to Topeka prison inmates and the workers who were present for the abatement project in 2005, the exposure levels were far above what’s necessary to pose significant health risks. The workers were allegedly directed to clean up asbestos contaminated debris using shovels, brooms and grinders without safety training or sufficient protective gear. The workers described the amount of asbestos contaminated dust present throughout the project as “horrendous” to the EPA, claiming that it coated their clothes and even clogged the furnace’s filter several times. In addition, the workers claim that the materials being removed from the prison were not disposed of properly, but instead were simply placed into dumpsters where they would be hauled away like normal garbage. If this were true, it could create a potential health risk for sanitation workers as well.
Removing asbestos safely and properly is costly and time consuming, but it is required by law to protect the health of workers and the inhabitants or employees of the building undergoing asbestos abatement. Properly licensed asbestos abatement crews wear protective clothing and ventilators as well as follow safe handling and proper disposal guidelines that reduce the risk of exposure.
EPA investigators visited the prison earlier this year to determine whether the allegations are true. Their findings have been passed on to federal attorneys, but as of yet no legal actions have been taken against the Kansas department of corrections.
