The BioRit Asbestos Superfund site is located in Ambler, Pennsylvania. Ambler is 20 miles north of Philadelphia.
From the late 1880s through the present day, Ambler
residents have had either occupational or environmental exposure to asbestos.
As a result, both current and former residents of the area face potentially
serious long-term health consequences.
The Community Outreach and Engagement Core (COEC) is an
organization whose mission is to effectively translate environmental health
sciences research findings into practical health promotion, disease prevention
information, tools and resources for our target audiences.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health, with the aid of the
COEC, has determined that there has been an increase in the rate of
mesothelioma in the Ambler area compared to the adjacent zip codes, with women
having a greater risk than men.
Researchers at the Center of Excellence in Environmental
Toxicology (CEET), Perelman School of Medicine at the University of
Pennsylvania, have been awarded a $10 million grant from the National Institute
for Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) over the next four years to study
asbestos exposure pathways that lead to mesothelioma, the bioremediation of
this hazardous material, and mechanisms that lead to asbestos-related diseases.
The Penn Superfund Research and Training Program (SRP)
Center, which was established by this grant, evolved as a direct consequence of
concerns from the Ambler community. The researchers are hopeful that continued
investigation and education will yield more information about exposure pathways
that led to these health risks. Click here for more.
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