Libby, Montana and Asbestos

Libby, Montana remains one of the most infamous asbestos contamination sites in the U.S. The Libby site alone has caused thousands of cases of mesothelioma and asbestosis after W.R. Grace mined asbestos-contaminated vermiculite here for decades.

Libby, Montana – Asbetos in a Small Town

This small town in Lincoln County, Montana was once home to a dangerous vermiculite mining operation for decades. From 1919 to 1990, the W.R. Grace mine produced vermiculite contaminated with asbestos and shipped all over the country to be processed.

The final product went into construction products, mostly insulation. The type of asbestos found naturally in the Libby mine is particularly friable and therefore harmful.

While people around the country have been affected by the asbestos in Libby vermiculite, it is the residents of the small Montana town that have felt most of the consequences.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the state of Montana continue to work on the cleanup of the Superfund site. W.R. Grace, the company responsible for the asbestos production, is still paying people who became sick from the exposure.

Vermiculite and Asbestos

Both vermiculite and asbestos are natural minerals that can be mined from deposits in the earth. Vermiculite is a mineral that expands when heated, known as exfoliation. It was used in molded boards for fireproofing, soundproofing, or heat insulation.

It can also be used in other construction materials or as a soil-free growing medium or mixed into the soil. These are just a few of the more common uses for vermiculite.

Asbestos is a similar set of minerals with similar properties. Companies used it to make insulation and add strength and fireproofing to building and ship materials, brakes and clutches, and industrial equipment.

Asbestos is extremely harmful to health. Asbestos fibers can lodge in the body and cause life-threatening illnesses, including malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis.

History of the Libby Mine

The original Libby mine dates back to 1919 when E.N. Alley bought the claims for the resources in the Vermiculite Mountain deposit. Alley’s company began mining vermiculite and called itself Zonolite.

The Zonolite Company operated in Libby until 1963 when W.R. Grace bought it. The new company continued the operation uninterrupted and kept producing vermiculite ore and concentrate until the mine shut down in 1990.

The mine is located just seven miles outside the town of Libby.

Even before W.R. Grace took over operations at the mine, workers in the facility had complained of lung problems. Many workers died. The company, at the time, did not acknowledge that these illnesses and deaths were in any way related to the mine.

W.R. Grace has since been accused of knowing about the presence of asbestos in the vermiculite it mined and failing to warn workers of the risks.

Health Issues of Miners and Residents of Libby

Decades of operation at the Libby mine took a toll on miners and the people in the nearby town. The miners have been affected the most, with many getting sick with asbestosis, a progressive lung scarring disease, lung cancer, or mesothelioma.

These illnesses usually take decades to manifest, so the total impact of the asbestos in the mine is still not fully known. Someone who worked in the mine 40 years ago may just now be getting sick.

Researchers have conducted several studies since the asbestos cover-up by W.R. Grace. The studies set out to determine just how much the contamination impacted miners and residents.

Shocking Studies

One study found that death from asbestosis among Libby miners was 165 times higher than in the general population.

In the same study, researchers found that 18 percent of people living in Libby had pleural abnormalities show up in chest X-rays. These were consistent with asbestos exposure. More than half of the miners had these abnormalities.

Among both miners and residents, overall asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma rates were much higher than the national average over 20 years of study.

The town of Libby has a population of only about 2,600. Some reports have indicated that close to 200 people died because of asbestos and another 1,000 are sick to some extent.

Vermiculite Processing Sites

While the miners and the people who lived near the mine were most affected by Libby vermiculite, people around the country were also put at risk of exposure to asbestos because of W.R. Grace.

The mine produced most of the vermiculite used in the U.S. at the time. It operated and shipped out millions of tons of vermiculite concentrate to facilities that processed it and made it into products like insulation.

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) evaluated 28 Libby vermiculite processing sites. The ATSDR chose these sites because they processed large amounts of Libby vermiculite and the EPA designated them as sites that need further cleaning.

The evaluation ultimately found that asbestos dust is still an issue in the facilities that processed Libby vermiculite. People who worked in these facilities risked harmful asbestos exposure.

Vermiculite Insulation

Numerous homes and other buildings in the U.S.  still contain vermiculite insulation that originated in Libby, which means these homes likely contain asbestos. During the years that the mine operated, Libby produced 70 percent of all vermiculite used in the U.S.

Any vermiculite insulation from 1919 and 1990 is likely to be the contaminated Libby material. The EPA recommends that homeowners treat any vermiculite insulation as if it contains asbestos and have it handled and abated by a professional asbestos worker.

Asbestos Lawsuits Against W.R. Grace

Since the truth about asbestos in Libby vermiculite was discovered, thousands of lawsuits have been filed against W.R. Grace.

Workers, residents, and family members have filed lawsuits claiming the company knew about the risks of working and living near the mine yet did not warn workers or provide safety equipment or training.

In one instance, a judge awarded a group of 1,300 plaintiffs a $43 million settlement in 2011. This came a decade after the lawsuit was filed.

Another win for the victims came in early 2017 when another judge approved a $25 million settlement for a group of more than 1,000 plaintiffs.

In 2021, the Montana Supreme Court made an important decision that would help compensate more victims. The Court affirmed earlier rulings that the state’s insurer must pay $98 million, funds that will go to exposure victims.

What About Libby Today?

The Libby mine is listed as an EPA Superfund site. Progress in remediating the site continues but is not yet finished. The EPA delisted areas of the site in 2019, 2020, and 2021.

There are still many areas that need more cleanup efforts to make them safe for anyone in the area, including residents of Libby.

The soil, vermiculite, and dust in the area are still contaminated and continue to pose a risk. When the dust becomes airborne, it can blow into town and expose residents.

If you believe that you were exposed to asbestos and got sick as a result of that exposure, and you can trace that exposure to Libby vermiculite, you may have a case to make against W.R. Grace.

The company still sees lawsuits, and many victims have successfully won settlements.

Contact an experienced Libby mesothelioma or asbestos lawyer to find out if you have a case and if you do to find out what steps you need to take next to get justice for yourself or a loved one.