Libby, Montana, a small town sprung up in a beautiful valley around the Kootenai River, has been dealing with asbestos contamination for more than half a century now. The town’s toxicity was caused by a vermiculite mining operation, a mineral used in the manufacture of insulation and fire retardant materials throughout the twentieth century, whose product was contaminated with tremolite asbestos. The vermiculite plant, which had been in operation since 1919, produced clouds of toxic dust that settled visibly in the town for more than half a century.

In May of this year, W.R. Grace, the former operator of the mine, as well as other executives were acquitted by a federal jury for charges related to negligent industrial practices. The toxic dust created by the mine contributed to more than 400 deaths and caused countless illnesses and health complications.

Mesothelioma and other asbestos related diseases are incredibly serious. After being either ingested or inhaled, asbestos fibers can become embedded in a tissue known as the mesothelium which protects our body’s major organ systems. The fibers inflict scarring on the mesothelium, which can eventually develop into a fatal malignant tumor.

An emergency cleanup was declared earlier this year, and hundreds of millions of dollars were allocated to contain and remove the toxic waste as well as treat the town’s affected residents. Progress has been slow, though, and many residents are still waiting for the results of asbestos testing being administered on their property. The EPA has been involved in decontaminating Libby since 1999, and while the major sources of contamination are under control, the agency is still involved in testing and decontaminating homes and businesses.

The latency of mesothelioma, or the time that it takes for the symptoms of the disease to develop from the time of asbestos exposure, is remarkably long, sometimes as much as half a century. This means that the battle for residents of Libby is far from over. And, after hundreds of millions of dollars and ten years of decontamination efforts, living and working in the town is still considered a substantial health hazard.

For some residents, that’s simply not good enough. Lerah Parker, a resident of Libby, voiced what is likely the general sentiment, saying “I want to know when it’s safe to bring my family back to our property.”