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EPA and PADEP to Host Public Meeting to Discuss Borit Asbestos Site

Release Date: 09/28/2006
Contact Information: (EPA) David Sternberg, (215) 814-5548 & (PADEP) Lynda Rebarchak, (484) 250-5820

PHILADELPHIA – The U.S. EPA and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) will host a public meeting and availability session from 6:00 - 9:30 p.m. Thursday, October 5, to discuss the status of the Borit asbestos site on Maple Street in Ambler Pa. The meeting will be held at Wissahickon Middle School, 500 Houston Street in Ambler.

The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss recent sampling results, future sampling plans and options under consideration to control erosion at the site and prevent further migration of asbestos to the nearby Wissahickon watershed.

Last April, EPA collected air, soil, surface water and sediment samples at the site. The sample results indicate that asbestos has migrated into the surface waters. However the current data is not sufficient to assess risk or measure exposure.

The primary health concern from asbestos is airborne fibers entering the lungs through inhalation. EPA and PADEP plan to conduct extensive sampling to evaluate potential human exposure from the site.

In the interim, EPA intends to use its authority under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (commonly known as Superfund) to prevent the further migration of asbestos to surface water from the site.

Representatives from the Agency for Toxic Substance Registry will also be available to answer questions.

For more information about the Borit site, go to www.epaosc.net/borit.