Ambler, Pennsylvania Dump Added To EPA Superfund List

The Superfund National Priority list complied by the Environmental Protection Agency has recently added a dump commonly used for asbestos-containing materials in Ambler, Pennsylvania.

The Superfund list is made up of over 1,500 sites that have been deemed necessary for clean-up for the good of public health. In a recent press release, the EPA has said, “”The site is on the NPL because the nearby residential population could potentially be exposed to airborne asbestos and to asbestos contamination along Tannery Run, Rose Valley Creek and the Wissahickon Creek.”

The EPA also says that the pile of asbestos-containing products at the BoRit dump in Ambler is spread over two acres and sits 20 feet above ground level with the potential to contaminate air at a nearby popular fishing creek.

Asbestos exposure can lead to a number of illnesses including asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma, a fatal form of cancer. Symptoms of the illnesses typically take between 20 and 50 years to appear, too late for any effective treatment.

Asbestos is commonly found in plumbing, shipyards and floor tiles because of its high insulation qualities. In the 1970’s the U.S. government implemented regulations on the use of asbestos. While it is no longer popularly used, certain procedures must be followed when demolishing structures that contain asbestos to prevent airborne fibers from spreading.

According to the EPA the BoRit site was used as an asbestos dump for almost eighty years and was divided in three areas: an asbestos waste pile, a reservoir and a former playground. The playground was officially closed and fenced off in the 1980’s.