Middle-school high jump mat removed

The Environmental Protection Agency last week removed and disposed of a Libby Middle School high jump mat, school superintendent Kirby Maki announced.

Maki told the school board Tuesday night that a few fibers of Libby Amphibole asbestos were detected on the mat. Maki said the levels were “well below the threshold.”

In 2001 as part of its emergency removal activities, the EPA removed athletic equipment at Libby High School that may have been contaminated with asbestos. But at the time, the agency was unaware that a high jump mat formerly used at the high school had been previously moved to an athletic field at the middle school.

About three weeks ago, the EPA learned that the mat had been moved and immediately sampled it. The results came back on April 14 with the report that asbestos was detected but well below response action standards.

The EPA transported the mat to its specially designed cell at the Lincoln County landfill.