The fires that have been burning on Maui since Tuesday could pose long-term health risks to residents from chemicals polluting the air, water and debris, authorities and experts have warned.
The Hawaii State Department of Health warned Friday that ash and dust from burned buildings could contain toxic chemicals such as asbestos and lead. Many destroyed buildings in Lahaina, the hardest-hit community, may have contained these chemicals because they were built before lead and asbestos were phased out in the 1970s.
“Things like lead and asbestos are at the top of the list. Those are things that are in the paint, in the buildings, and then they’re not really destroyed by burning, so now they’re in the ash and the powder,” said Diana Felton, a Hawaii state toxicologist.
Felton said there is some concern that people in Lahaina could inhale airborne lead and asbestos particles, but the biggest concern is that residents could inadvertently ingest the chemicals if they come in contact with their clothing or hands.
The fires may also have released arsenic into the soil, because the chemical was used as an herbicide in parts of Hawaii, particularly sugarcane and pineapple fields, in the early 20th century, Felton said. The chemical binds strongly to soil, he added, making it more likely to be found in dust and ash.
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