Mesothelioma

When an environmental agent is the cause, he said, trends can be spotted.

There was no upward or downward trend on respiratory cancer rates over the 28-year time period studied, from 1973-2000.

"It was elevated, but consistent.

We don't know what was happening, but because The report, available online at www.health.utah .gov/enviroepi, said that the former VI site, now a Utah Power and Light substation, commercial parking lot and small businesses, poses no public health risk now.

Most of the site had been cleaned up when the researchers were writing their report and the last remaining contaminated soil beneath asphalt was to be remediated by the end of 2006.

The Environmental Protection Agency finished cleanup of the IP site in December 2004.

They estimate that 14,000 children 15 and younger lived within two miles of the area while the facilities were operating, and put the total population at about 70,400.

How many, if any, were actually exposed is unknown.

The state's study, Ball noted, had limitations.

Health officials have no exposure data to know if asbestos was ever released as the vermiculite was processed.

They don't know who worked at the plant ...

Read more...