oEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Invitation to a Community Meeting
Solico, Inc. Site
Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, New Mexico
August 2014
ACTIVITIES
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has
completed its assessment of asbestos in residential
soils near the former Solico facility. Low levels of
asbestos were detected in some yards. The levels
are so low that they would unlikely pose a risk to
human health.
All residents where EPA collected samples have
been notified of the results. No further assessment
or clean-up is planned at this time.
EPA would like to invite you to a community
meeting to be held:
August 12, 2014
6:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
Center City Evangelical Church
5202 2nd St., NW, Ste. A
Albuquerque, NM 87107
Representatives from the EPA will be available to
discuss the results of the investigations and answer
any questions. This meeting is being held in a fully
accessible facility. Should you have questions about
this facilities' compliance with the Americans with
Disabilities Act, please contact EPA at
1.800.533.3508 (Toll-free).
SITE BACKGROUND
The Solico, Inc., site was located at 5119 Edith
Blvd., NE, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The site
was previously used for vermiculite expansion
("exfoliation"). "Exfoliation" is a commercial
process where vermiculite is heated until it expands
and small pieces of vermiculite become larger,
making it suitable for insulation.
Records indicate that the facility accepted
approximately 96.6 tons of raw vermiculite between
1981 and 1988 from the WR Grace Vermiculite
Mine located in Libby, Montana. This mine was the
source of over 70 percent of all vermiculite sold in
the U.S. from 1919 to 1990. There was also a large
deposit of amphibole asbestos at that mine, so the
vermiculite from Libby was contaminated with
asbestos. Vermiculite from Libby was distributed
for processing to a number of facilities across the
country.
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An EPA assessment was conducted at the Solico
site in response to an Agency-wide initiative to
investigate current and former vermiculite facilities
that received vermiculite ore from the WR Grace
Vermiculite Mine in Libby, Montana.
WHERE TO GET MORE INFORMATION
Mike McAteer, On-Scene Coordinator
U.S. EPA Region 6 (6SF-PE)
214.665.7157 or 1.800.533.3508 (toll free)
Althea Foster, On-Scene Coordinator
U.S. EPA Region 6 (6SF-PR)
214.665.2268 or 1.800.533.3508 (toll free)
Stephen Harper, Community Involvement
Coordinator/SEE
U.S. EPA Region 6 (6SF-VO)
214.665.2727 or 1.800.533.3508 (toll free)
All media inquiries should be directed to the
EPA Region 6 Press Office, 214.665.2200.
To receive a Spanish translation of this fact sheet
call U.S. EPA at 1.800.533.3508 (toll-free).
Para recibir una traduction en espanol de esta hoja
de datos, comunicase con la Agencia de Protection
del Medio Ambiente de los EEUU (la EPA) al
numero de telefono 1.800.533.3508 (llamada
gratis).

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<&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Region 6
1445 Ross Ave. (6SF-VO)
Dallas, TX 75202
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