As many schools across the country take advantage of the summer vacation to complete repairs and renovation projects, the Assumption School in West Grove, Philadelphia is continuing with an asbestos removal project thanks in part to grants received from several different organizations.

The school was built in 1959, during a period in which asbestos use in construction materials was peaking in the United States. Asbestos is an increasingly prevalent problem in schools across the country due to heavy use between the 1940s and 1980s.

Asbestos was once heavily used in construction materials of many different types, but due to its toxicity the asbestos is now becoming a serious problem, particularly as these buildings age and the asbestos they contain becomes more exposed and begins degrading.

In the Assumption School, the asbestos removal project is currently in the second phase of a three phase project planned for this summer. Currently asbestos is being removed from ceilings, hallway insulation, and from four classrooms.

All schools are required by federal law to adhere to Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) guidelines, which require schools to create and maintain asbestos management plans. The plans must include details of the location of any asbestos, as well as all measures taken to prevent exposure risks.

In addition, schools must be inspected every three years, and asbestos management plans must be available for public review by staff and parents.

According to Assumption School’s Home and School Association President Helen Leinhauser, the school is checked annually to ensure the asbestos it contains is safely sealed, and that students and staff are not at risk of exposure.

Over the past two years the school has raised around $260,000 for the asbestos removal and renovations. In addition the school has received grants from several different organizations, including a $37,000 grant in June from the Connelly Foundation of West Conshohocken, and a $20,000 grant in December 2007 from the Raskob Foundation of Wilmington.

The school also received $13,535 from funds raised by MesoWalk 2008, a charity walk held in Philadelphia in April. The Mesothelioma and Asbestos Disease Society contributed $6,000, while the other $7,535 was raised Assumption School walkers.

Fund-raising isn’t over yet, however. To complete phase three of the project, the school must still raise $32,000 to replace doors which were erected using asbestos caulking.

This entry was posted on Monday, July 28th, 2008 at 5:36 pm and is filed under Asbestos Exposure, Pennsylvania. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS feed. Responses are currently closed, but you trackback from your own site.