WASHINGTON — As if Metro didn鈥檛 have enough problems, apparently some of its railcars have asbestos, according to an NBC Washington .
The system is retiring its oldest cars from the 1000-series. They contain a small amount of asbestos in the heater box behind the evaporator in each car, according to cited by NBC Washington.
The asbestos is sealed outside the passenger cabin and not accessible to riders, Metro spokeswoman Sherri Ly told NBC. Spokesman Dan Stessel said the asbestos doesn鈥檛 pose a hazard to riders.
Not everyone agrees.
鈥淭here is no safe level of asbestos exposure,鈥� says Alex Formuzis, vice president of strategic campaigns at EWG Action Fund. 鈥淢illions of passengers a year ride these subway cars, not to mention Metro employees, who likely came into much closer contact with the areas where the asbestos is.鈥�
The National Transportation Safety Board has told Metro to get rid of the old railcars. Those will be discarded once the asbestos is removed.
