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Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education Program Rachel Elkins and Julie Frazell, University of California Cooperative Extension

Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education ...celake.ucanr.edu/files/64827.pdf · Serpentine *Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time. * * Based on Measurements of worse

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Page 1: Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education ...celake.ucanr.edu/files/64827.pdf · Serpentine *Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time. * * Based on Measurements of worse

Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in

Serpentine Soils Education Program

Rachel Elkins and Julie Frazell, University of California Cooperative Extension

Page 2: Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education ...celake.ucanr.edu/files/64827.pdf · Serpentine *Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time. * * Based on Measurements of worse

A Joint Project of

Lake County Air Quality Management District

and University of California Cooperative Extension

Discussing Community Concerns About

Asbestos-ContainingRock or Soil

Page 3: Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education ...celake.ucanr.edu/files/64827.pdf · Serpentine *Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time. * * Based on Measurements of worse

~Community Concern~

The Possible Risk of Disease Associated With Repeated

Exposure to Asbestos-ContainingRocky-Soils or Dust

Page 4: Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education ...celake.ucanr.edu/files/64827.pdf · Serpentine *Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time. * * Based on Measurements of worse

Mapped Serpentine Areas in Lake County

Source: Lake County AQMD

Page 5: Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education ...celake.ucanr.edu/files/64827.pdf · Serpentine *Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time. * * Based on Measurements of worse

What Is Serpentine ?

• California’s state rock

• Contains fibers, also know as asbestos

• Asbestos can have health consequences

Page 6: Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education ...celake.ucanr.edu/files/64827.pdf · Serpentine *Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time. * * Based on Measurements of worse

Photograph Courtesy of Anthony O’Geen, Ph.D

How to Recognize Serpentine

Greenish-gray in color with a waxy appearance.

Soils contain 10 % or more rock.

Page 7: Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education ...celake.ucanr.edu/files/64827.pdf · Serpentine *Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time. * * Based on Measurements of worse

Martin Street, Lakeport

Campbell Hill, Lakeport

Photographs Courtesy of Lake County AQMD

Page 8: Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education ...celake.ucanr.edu/files/64827.pdf · Serpentine *Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time. * * Based on Measurements of worse

UC Davis – McLaughlin Reserve

Unique Shrubby or Stunted Vegetation

Page 9: Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education ...celake.ucanr.edu/files/64827.pdf · Serpentine *Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time. * * Based on Measurements of worse

Asbestiform-particles contained in Serpentinite

Chrysotileasbestos

C Donald Greg McGahan ©

Page 10: Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education ...celake.ucanr.edu/files/64827.pdf · Serpentine *Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time. * * Based on Measurements of worse

Asbestos is a General Term for Several Types of Naturally-Occurring Fibrous Minerals

Source: Lake County AQMD - Serpentine / Chrysotile Asbestos, Polarized Light 200 sieve, 100x, 1.550HD

Page 11: Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education ...celake.ucanr.edu/files/64827.pdf · Serpentine *Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time. * * Based on Measurements of worse

How Could Asbestos Fibers Affect My Health?

20-plus years may pass before disease appears.

If inhaled or swallowed fibers may result in disease

Smoking increases the chance oflung cancer

Page 12: Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education ...celake.ucanr.edu/files/64827.pdf · Serpentine *Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time. * * Based on Measurements of worse

Children Need Extra Protection

• Have a higher breathing rate

• Spend more time playing outside

• Reduce exposure now to reduce possible disease in 20 or more years

Page 13: Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education ...celake.ucanr.edu/files/64827.pdf · Serpentine *Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time. * * Based on Measurements of worse

Any Exposure to Asbestos Fibers Involves Some Risk of Disease

• The more fibers you are exposed to, the higher the risk of disease.

• The fibers that remain in the body are thought to be responsible for asbestos-related disease.

• Reducing exposure will reduce risk of disease.

Page 14: Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education ...celake.ucanr.edu/files/64827.pdf · Serpentine *Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time. * * Based on Measurements of worse

110,000

7,874

78,740

16 217

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

Smoking UnmitigatedSerpentine

LightningStrikes

MitigatedSerpentine

*Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time.

**

Based on Measurements of worse case mitigated and unmitigated construction.

Deaths/Cancers Per Million Population Exposed(70 year lifespan of exposure)

Page 15: Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education ...celake.ucanr.edu/files/64827.pdf · Serpentine *Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time. * * Based on Measurements of worse

If Asbestos-Containing Serpentine Soils or Rock is Located on Your Property:

Reduce Activities Which Create Visible Dust

Page 16: Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education ...celake.ucanr.edu/files/64827.pdf · Serpentine *Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time. * * Based on Measurements of worse

Outdoor Activities That Generate Dust When Soil is Dry

• Rototilling • Leaf Blowers• Digging

•Trenching•Grading•Plowing

Page 17: Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education ...celake.ucanr.edu/files/64827.pdf · Serpentine *Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time. * * Based on Measurements of worse

Practice Proper Dust Controls With All Outdoor Activities

• Pre-soak ground thoroughly • Use water to clean walkways • Landscape exposed areas• Remove exposed shoes or clothing

before entering the house

Page 18: Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education ...celake.ucanr.edu/files/64827.pdf · Serpentine *Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time. * * Based on Measurements of worse

Stabilize the Soil to Reduce Dust and Natural Weathering

Serpentinetolerant plants3-6 inches of organic mulch3-6 inches of asbestos free soil

Cover serpentine landscapes with:

Page 19: Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education ...celake.ucanr.edu/files/64827.pdf · Serpentine *Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time. * * Based on Measurements of worse

How Fibers May EnterThe Home

• Asbestos fibers settle on shoes and clothes and can be tracked into the home.

• Fibers can be transferred to others by pets.

Page 20: Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education ...celake.ucanr.edu/files/64827.pdf · Serpentine *Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time. * * Based on Measurements of worse

Indoor Activities Which May Spread Asbestos Fibers in the

Home

• Sweeping• Vacuuming • Dry Cloth Dusting• Feather Dusters

Take care when:

Page 21: Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education ...celake.ucanr.edu/files/64827.pdf · Serpentine *Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time. * * Based on Measurements of worse

Ways To Reduce the Spread of Fibers in the Home

• Damp cloth dusting• Washable area rugs• HEPA filter vacuum• Damp mop • Wash exposed clothing

separately

Page 22: Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education ...celake.ucanr.edu/files/64827.pdf · Serpentine *Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time. * * Based on Measurements of worse

Sacramento Bee Graphic by Sean Mcdad and Nam Nguyem 1/99

Use serpentine hardy plants

Stabilize existing surfaces

Cover unpaved surfaces

Presoak before disturbing soil

Reduce runoff

Reduce visible dust

HEPA filter vacuum

Do not transfer fibers

Remove shoes and wash exposedclothing separately

Page 23: Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education ...celake.ucanr.edu/files/64827.pdf · Serpentine *Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time. * * Based on Measurements of worse

Just as sun screen has become commonly used to reduce our

risk of skin cancer

Reducing visible dust will reduce our risk of disease associated with asbestos-

containing dust

Page 24: Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education ...celake.ucanr.edu/files/64827.pdf · Serpentine *Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time. * * Based on Measurements of worse

Acknowledgments

• California Air Resources Board• Lake County Air Quality Management

District• University of California Cooperative

Extension• California Geological Survey • UC Davis McLaughlin Reserve

Page 25: Naturally-Occurring Asbestos in Serpentine Soils Education ...celake.ucanr.edu/files/64827.pdf · Serpentine *Assumes Dust Activity 10% of time. * * Based on Measurements of worse

Thank You

Photograph Courtesy of Lake County AQMD