Asbestos found in schools is a reminder of the continuing threat

Last fall, the Ocean View School District in California began a modernization project that ultimately discovered the presence of asbestos and caused thousands of students to be displaced. Almost a year after asbestos closed several of the schools in the district, two will finally open for the 2015-2016 school year.

Unfortunately, this isn’t an isolated incident.

Every year, millions of teachers, students and staff around the United States are put at risk. The classrooms intended for learning become a danger zone, threatening to infect all those who enter. The hazards of asbestos in schools are unknown due to the lack of assessments done.

From the 1940s to 1970s, asbestos-containing building products were frequently used in the construction of schools, until it was banned in new construction in the late 1970s. Many older school buildings still contain the deadly fibers.

In fact, the last survey conducted of schools for asbestos in the United States was in 1984, more than 30 years ago. Following the beginning of an effort to ban asbestos, the Environmental Protection Agency found asbestos exposure from school buildings posed a significant risk to the health of the public.

Following this assessment, the EPA sampled 2,600 public and private school districts to determine the danger to those who attend. The EPA estimated more than 1 million teachers, staff and administrators and 15 million students were at risk for exposure to airborne asbestos fibers in approximately 35,000 schools.

This discovery led to the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) in 1986. Legally, all schools are required to inspect for building materials that may contain asbestos and have plans in place in case asbestos is found. After original inspection, a school must re-inspect potential asbestos-containing building materials every three years.

When asbestos is discovered, it becomes a financial burden for schools because removal is necessary and expensive. Additionally, a community might become upset with a perceived delay of information and putting their children at risk. After asbestos was found at the Ocean View School District, bus reserve funds were depleted and more than 150 students transferred districts due to upset families.

Right before the school year began, a Kanawha County school in West Virginia dealt with a collapsed ceiling in the library and the uncovering of asbestos. While the asbestos is being removed and a new ceiling is being constructed, many now worry about the years children spent in the library and the possible effects. Children may develop asbestos-related diseases at a younger age and may deal with their consequences for a longer period of time.

Despite new uses banned, situations like this illustrate the clear and present threat asbestos creates. Many steel workers from the past are dealing with the deadly effects today due to lack of knowledge and awareness while employed. The latency period allows decades to pass before the symptoms present themselves and cause devastating illnesses, including mesothelioma and lung cancer.

If you or a loved on has been affected by asbestos, contact us immediately. We’re working lawyers for working people, and we’re ready to work for you.

Sources

• Associated Press, “2 Orange County schools closed over asbestos will reopen,” The Washington Times(Aug. 23, 2015). [Link]
• Clouse, “Kanawha County School clearing asbestos from library,” WSAZ (Aug. 7, 2015). [Link]
• EPA, “School buildings,” Asbestos (Jan. 8, 2015). [Link]
• EWG Action Fund, “Asbestos remains widespread hazard in U.S. schools,” Asbestos Nations (2015). [Link]
• Layton, “Authorities worry that many U.S. schools could have dangerous asbestos,” The Washington Post (Aug. 5, 2015). [Link]