Asbestos exposure usually occurs in industrial settings or among construction and buildings. Often, it is forgotten that asbestos is a naturally occurring material.

This reality became extremely pressing for one California area, whose park contains high levels of asbestos in the soil. Nearly half of the Clear Creek Management Area was closed Wednesday, when it was discovered that almost 31,000 acres of the park have unsafe levels of asbestos in the ground. The area hosts around 35,000 visitors a year but the risk is highest for those who came to ride all-terrain vehicles and motorcycles through the park.

These vehicles stir up the asbestos in the soil, exposing riders and drivers to airborne fibers. The CCMA was tested by EPA officials, who gathered air and land samples from spots that visitors frequent.

It is unclear what steps will be taken next, but California and the EPA are working hard to ensure visitor safety in the future.

Read the full article here.