Residents of southwest Baltimore County may have been exposed to asbestos particles from crushed rocks at a Catonsville construction site, and community leaders said government officials aren’t taking their health concerns seriously.
Samples of rocks crushed at the construction site of an assisted living facility on the 1500 block of North Rolling Road in the Westview community have tested positive for asbestos, officials confirmed. Tests were conducted last week at the request of neighbors who said the community was coated in dust particles blown from the site.
“We saw it everywhere,” said Gerald Balmert, who lives close to the site. “It was on the cars, on the houses, in the houses. Some was very visible in the air at points.”
Rock crushing was halted by developer Enterprise Homes, according to an e-mail from the company’s senior vice president, Harvey Zeiger, to nearby residents. Zeiger did not return a call for comment.
State environmental officials said they aren’t sure yet how concentrated the asbestos is, and are coordinating a response with Baltimore County and the federal Environmental Protection Agency. Robert Ballinger, a spokesman for the Maryland Department of the Environment, said the state has no protocols for “naturally occurring” asbestos, and may consider conducting air samples.
“We do not deem it to be a health issue at this time,” Ballinger said. “We’re recommending the community talk to a local physician and we’ll follow up with the contents of the particles.”
Baltimore County cited Enterprise Homes for “nuisance dust” just before the testing, said Jonas Jacobson, director of the county’s Department of Environmental Protection and Resource Management. But the county has no authority to regulate air quality or asbestos, he said.
Residents are planning an emergency meeting tonight. No government agency has visited homes or businesses in the community to assess the continued exposure of asbestos fibers, said Steve Whisler, president of the Westview Park Improvement & Civic Association.
Residents are concerned they continue to be exposed to asbestos fibers in their own homes, Whisler said.
“People don’t know if they should use their vacuum cleaners — maybe it will stir up dust that’s been tracked in on the carpet,” Whisler said. “Tens of thousands of cars travel along Rolling Road every day. What about the air conditioning systems? This is a major exposure.”
The incident could spark new legislation to handle similar problems in the future, said Sam Moxley, a Baltimore County councilman who represents Catonsville. Moxley said the incident appears to mark a first in Maryland.
“There is nothing at all in the whole state on this issue,” Moxley said. “It’s really quite interesting but it’s also very alarming. We have to develop a policy, but right now, safety first.”
