Health officials are warning Maui residents to exercise caution during cleanup following deadly wildfires as ash and debris may be filled with toxic substances, including asbestos, arsenic and lead. As those products age, rip, break, burn or are washed away, they release toxic asbestos fibers into the air. Local air quality officials warned residents that the air was dangerously contaminated and that even if a home was not damaged, it was unsafe, according to The Washington Post. The air quality coming from Front Street with the winds is deeply toxic with asbestos,” Debbie Van Alstyne told the news outlet. “[A local air quality official] says that it’s absolutely not safe for anybody to stay near there.

Source: Washington Post August 30, 2023 18:56 UTC