Because of asbestos found at a planned highway project near Stratford, Conn., officials have suspended the work until further notice.

The state Department of Transportation discovered asbestos in the soil at the Exit 33 reconstruction project on Interstate 95 near Stratford, which is about 65 miles northeast of New York City.

Asbestos Found at Construction Site

When the asbestos found at the job site was discovered, the Department of Transportation saw fit to suspend the work until they could further assess the situation.

Both the Department of Transportation and the Department of Health announced that as a result of the asbestos in the soil, they would need to conduct air and ground sampling to determine the severity of the threat.

However, the earliest assessments showed that the asbestos presents no widespread risk to the public.

According to Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Raul Pino, “[t]here is no reason to believe at this time that the asbestos, which is a known carcinogen, found at the Exit 33 project site is posing an exposure concern to workers or the community.”

To protect the employees working at the job site, roadside maintenance work near where the asbestos was found has been suspended.

The asbestos in the soil possibly indicates that waste products from Raymark Industries was deposited in the surface soil at the construction site.

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Curt Spalding noted that the area was not previously tested because there was no indication that Raymark waste was being dumped there.

In a news release, Spalding said, “Fortunately, in September, EPA announced its final cleanup plan for several Raymark waste areas which provides funding and will allow the Exit 33 area to be addressed in a consistent manner that ensures protection of public health.”

The Department of Transportation investigated the construction site recently. Because of the asbestos found, it will begin to test and monitor the site to measure specific air soil asbestos levels in November. They will then make recommendations once the data is collected and analyzed.

Any other roadside maintenance on I-95 near Stratford will also be suspended.

The Department of Transportation Commissioner noted, “The air and ground monitoring is a prudent and precautionary strategy. In the coming weeks, motorists may see crews along the highway conducting these tests. To date, we are unaware of any adverse effects to anyone in this vicinity. We will continue to advise workers and the people of Connecticut as developments warrant.”

Asbestos is a highly dangerous mineral used for decades in the construction of certain housing and insulation materials. Within products, it is not necessarily harmful. However, when it is disturbed and the asbestos fibers are released into the air, they can be inhaled, and the results can be deadly.

Long-term exposure to asbestos fibers can have devastating effects such as mesothelioma.