Sparta Township Environmental Asbestos Study: Final Report of the Results of Air and House Dust Sampling

This study was conducted in response to concerns raised by residents of Sparta, New Jersey (Sussex County) that the nearby Southdown Quarry (later purchased by another company and renamed Cemex Quarry) was emitting asbestos structures into the air, and that these structures were reaching residential areas where they could result in an increased cancer risk. The general questions formulated in the design of this study are summarized by the three following questions: Are levels of biologically relevant asbestos structures in air present at a level which can case a significant cancer risk with long-term exposure? If elevated levels of biologically relevant structures are detected in air downwind of the quarry, is there evidence that the quarry is the source of those structures? If residents are being exposed to levels of biologically relevant asbestos structures emitted from the quarry which pose a significant health risk, what actions may be necessary to adequately control such exposure? This report presents results and conclusions from the first two parts of the overall study design. Results and conclusions from the third part of this design will be presented in a subsequent report.The work was carried out under contract with the Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (Rutgers University/University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ), and under a separate contract from the U.S. EPA-Region 2 to Areolas Inc