EPA awards $2.1 million asbestos research grant

EPA Awards $2.1 Million Asbestos Research Grant

In a recent statement supplied by the Hamner Institutes for Health Sciences, the organization verified that they had been approved for a $2.1 million asbestos research contract. The contract, funded by the Environmental Protection Agency, will focus on the study of vermiculite (also known as Libby amphibole), a mineral that is often contaminated with asbestos.

The grant money will specifically go towards studies designed to better understand the potency of inhaled vermiculite fibers, ease of inhalation and dosimetry. The grant is to cover a 3-year period and laboratory mice will be used as the main form of experimentation.

Vermiculite is of particular interest to the Hamner Institutes and the EPA because it has been linked to asbestos-contaminated materials used for processes such as packing and insulation. Its widespread use has resulted in numerous health-related concerns, including asbestosis, pleural cancer and lung cancer. Today, all vermiculite mines must be routinely tested for the presence of asbestos. The world's largest vermiculite mine, located in Libby, Montana, was closed in 1990 due to the toxicity of the mineral.

The Hamner Institutes for Health Sciences is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving public health and developing breakthrough medicines.

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