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The Use of Asbestos in School Buildings

Schools, like many other buildings built prior to 1978, often contain asbestos. Asbestos was used in many of the building materials that are common in schools. Ceiling tiles, vinyl floor covering and the duct work for the heating and cooling system all may contain asbestos.

At the time it was not well known how harmful asbestos was when it is released into the air. It was used because it is flame resistant and has excellent insulating properties. It was also readily available. These attributes made it an ideal component for building materials.

Asbestos exposure can cause long term health problems. Once the medical evidence showed a connection between mesothelioma, an aggressive form of lung cancer, and asbestos exposure, asbestos containing building materials stopped being manufactured. Unfortunately, the peak building years for schools, the 1950s, 60s and 70s, coincide with the time that asbestos products were most widely used in buildings. Suddenly there were schools across the country that were practically new, but contained a potentially life threatening material.

The Environmental Protection Agency stepped in with a plan for managing asbestos containing materials in schools. AHERA, or Asbestos Hazardous Emergency Response Act, was implemented to provide a nationwide standard for asbestos management in schools, both public and private.

AHERA states that any school that has asbestos containing building materials must undergo an inspection by a licensed professional every three years, and the areas that actually contain asbestos must be visually inspected by school personnel regularly. AHERA also sets in place guidelines that mandate training for maintenance and janitorial staff so that they are qualified to recognize if the building materials present a health risk. Another component of AHERA is that each school that contains asbestos must prepare a plan for managing asbestos and make this report available to the public.

Can I Recognize Asbestos on Sight?

If you believe your child's school contains asbestos, you may want to know where it's most commonly located. While trained professionals often have a general idea which materials contain asbestos and which do not, the only accurate method of determining if there is asbestos in a material is through laboratory testing. For additional information, take time to review the asbestos products section on our website, which includes detailed information on the asbestos-containing products in schools.

Is My Child at Risk?

AHERA was put into place so that children could safely attend schools that contained asbestos. It was not financially possible to pull all of the asbestos containing materials from all of these schools. The EPAs policy with asbestos abatement is to leave it in place as long as it is not damaged. Once it becomes damaged, you run the risk of asbestos exposure, as microscopic asbestos fibers are released into the air.

AHERA ensures that each school that contains asbestos undergoes regular inspections to check for damage to asbestos in the building. While leaving the asbestos in place may seem risky, it is the same policy that is used in commercial buildings and private homes. Unnecessarily removing the asbestos materials increases the risk of releasing asbestos fibers into the air.

If your child's school is currently undergoing remediation for asbestos contamination, a strict policy will be in place to prevent your child from entering areas that are currently undergoing removal. AHERA requires that all asbestos remediation conducted in schools to be conducted by a professional.

While it may seem frightening that your child is going to school that is currently undergoing asbestos remediation, the process that the EPA has set in place for removal ensures that the air quality will remain safe for your child, and the risk of exposure to asbestos is minimal. By removing the asbestos and replacing it with new materials you know that the school board is doing their job in inspecting and replacing asbestos containing building materials as needed.

If you have additional concerns about the safety of your child in a school that is undergoing remediation, you can contact your local board of health. They can answer questions about exposure dangers and visit the remediation site to be sure the contractors are following EPA guidelines.

Other resources are the Environmental Protection Agency, which has regional offices around the country, and your state's department of environmental protection or public health. These agencies, which are state funded, should be willing to explain the proper procedure for removing asbestos from a school, determine if the contractor being used is licensed, and answer any other questions that you may have.