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Moore, Oklahoma - A record-setting tornado devastated Oklahoma on Monday leaving widespread destruction and is responsible for at least 24 deaths. However, the aftermath of the incredible storm may prove to be just as dangerous to area residents, first responders and clean up volunteers. Lethal materials including asbestos and lead lie uncovered amongst the debris, and unsuspecting clean up volunteers or any one who comes into contact with the rubble, may be exposed.
Further, as the clean up process continues, bad weather – including strong storms and winds – may agitate the debris, causing microscopic deadly particles to contaminate the air. Exposure to asbestos, lead and other potentially toxic materials during the clean up efforts may inadvertently add to the death toll total caused by the tornado.
One of the greatest concerns regarding the clean up is that the average person does not know what to look for when it comes to potentially lethal materials. Even more, such toxins like asbestos do not have a unique signature that makes it readily identifiable.
As it is the case with most towns across the country, Moore has a mixture of old and new builds. Buildings constructed before the 1970s and 1980s typically will contain building materials with asbestos.
Prized for its durability, asbestos was manufactured into a variety of building-related products including plumbing and electrical materials, insulation, roofing, floor and ceiling tiles, caulking and adhesive. There is not a way to know for sure how much asbestos was used in the destroyed buildings, but it is a safe conclusion to draw that any building older than 1970 will contain some form of asbestos.
Asbestos exposure is the leading cause of pleural mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer where the lining of the lungs is affected. Small asbestos particles lodge into the delicate tissue causing widespread scarring. Though the affects of asbestos exposure may not necessarily be immediate, but can lead to later development of mesothelioma cancer.
Currently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other governmental agencies are working to minimize the environmental and health impacts the tornado debris poses. Efforts are underway to safely and securely remove any toxic material.
Wearing protective gear including rubber gloves and respirators during the clean up process is necessary not only to limit the potential of asbestos exposure but to protect the community from inhaling other hazards including dust and glass shards.
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