A new study conducted by mesothelioma doctors in Libby, Montana says that more residents there will develop lung disease from asbestos exposure in the community and its surrounding area.

Doctors Brad Black and Alan Whitehouse worked with scientists from Detroit and New York City on the study which focused on 11 cases that had not been reported before.

None of the people involved in the new cases suffered workplace exposure at the notorious W.R. Grace vermiculite mine. Instead, doctors say they probably were exposed to low levels of asbestos in the town, in areas close to Grace’s mine or processing plants, or along railroad tracks.

They also say the small Montana town can expect an mesothelioma epidemic over the next 20-30 years because of that low-level exposure.

The mine was closed in 1990 and the town has since been declared an EPA Super-Fund site. Some say that Libby is the worst case of contamination in the nation.

Exposure to asbestos can cause a chronic lung disease called asbestosis, as well as mesothelioma. Due to an extensive latency period, these diseases often develop decades after exposure occurs, which can greatly complicate mesothelioma treatment.

If you or a loved one was exposed to asbestos, attorneys can help you recover some compensation.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 12th, 2008 at 9:33 pm and is filed under Asbestos, Asbestosis, Mesothelioma. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.