Parents of children attending Norman Elementary School in Austin, Texas have become concerned about asbestos in the school, but according to the school district, there’s no cause for alarm.

Norman Elementary was built around 40 years ago during the decades of widespread asbestos use, and parents are finally demanding that all traces of the toxin be removed from the school’s buildings.

According to a school district spokesperson, at least half of the classrooms in the city of Austin contain asbestos. The spokesperson has also told parents and local news teams that the asbestos contamination in the schools is not in a condition where inhalation can occur.

Judy Vallejo, whose grandson attends kindergarten at Norman Elementary, says her grandson suffers from headaches and coughing fits on a regular basis. And now that the school has recently sent a letter home saying the campus may contain asbestos, she is especially worried. She believes the contamination may be making her grandson sick, even though the letter states the asbestos is not in a condition where it can pose a risk.

Many parents don’t believe their children are safe from asbestos exposure, yet Norman Elementary officials say the school isn’t scheduled for asbestos remediation any time soon.

The issue of asbestos in schools is an increasingly widespread problem throughout the United States. As asbestos-containing materials age, repairs and renovations may cause disturbance to asbestos materials. Such disturbances can potentially present a health hazard if proper procedures are not used to prevent exposure.

Inhalation of asbestos fibers is known to cause mesothelioma, an aggressive and rare form of cancer. In addition to mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer is also caused by inhaling asbestos fibers. Pleural mesothelioma is particularly harmful, as many experts believe only a few fibers are needed to cause the cancer.

When dealing with asbestos in schools, the EPA requires that all schools containing asbestos maintain a management plan that entails the location of asbestos, its condition, and the measures taken to prevent exposure. In schools where asbestos is present, school officials must provide written notice to parents and school employees. In addition, parents and employees can request to see a copy of the asbestos management plan at any time.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 1st, 2008 at 1:41 pm and is filed under Asbestos Exposure. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS feed. Responses are currently closed, but you trackback from your own site.