The landscape of asbestos: Libby and beyond

This article discusses risk assessment and decision-making in the rural community of Libby, Montana. The community faces serious health risks caused by decades of exposure to asbestos from an asbestos-contaminated vermiculite mining operation. The risks from the exposure are not only occupational but involve the greater community as well. The article explores issues that are increasingly evident and problematic in this community: the willingness or ability to recognize a problem, like serious environmental contamination, can be influenced by one's perceived willingness or ability to accept or manage the consequences of such recognition. This finding has emerged not only in this community but in a number of other studies conducted by the authors. Findings suggest that if the consequences of recognition are not deemed manageable or possible (e.g. perceived ability to move to a safer location or the willingness to change occupations), residents will minimize the scope of a problem and remain in a situation that continues to expose them to serious health risk. This tension needs to be recognized and managed when trying to find innovative solutions and effective policies for risk assessment.