Asbestos Poses Risk in Schools Nationwide

Several schools in the U.S. are dealing with recent asbestos discoveries. Exposure concerns are causing disruptions just as students are back or heading back to school across the country, with delays, remediation efforts and safety fears. 

In Maine, the discovery of asbestos at Bowdoinham Community School has delayed the school year. North Carolina is conducting a statewide inspection of 3,100 schools and 5,700 daycares for asbestos and lead contamination as part of a $26 million EPA initiative. 

In Ohio, ACCEL Schools is addressing asbestos issues following an EPA mandate, while community members in Michigan are opposing the demolition of Roosevelt Elementary over contamination fears. Similarly, Philadelphia’s Frankford High School remains closed for asbestos abatement, with a planned reopening in 2025 after a $19.9 million renovation.

Philadelphia has been a hotspot for asbestos exposure-related issues, with several schools forced to close in recent years. Teachers diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases have filed lawsuits as well. These cases highlight the nationwide challenge of managing asbestos hazards in aging school buildings, as school districts navigate the need for safety, financial constraints and community concerns over exposure risks.

The toxic mineral is likely present in many U.S. schools built before the public became more aware of its links to cancer and began filing lawsuits in the late 20th century. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, asbestos-containing materials are present nationwide in most primary, secondary and charter schools.

As old asbestos products in schools wear down or are damaged, custodians are at particular risk of inhaling fibers propelled into the air. Teachers and students have also been diagnosed with mesothelioma as a result of asbestos, which is the primary cause of this malignant cancer.

Asbestos Concerns Delay School for Maine Students

In Maine, the school year is delayed for students at Bowdoinham Community School as the district scrambles to relocate classes and adjust schedules. A section of  the school will remain closed for the entire school year after asbestos was discovered inside insulation in the 70-year-old building. A contractor preparing to install new wiring noticed some vermiculite insulation containing asbestos on top of newer fiberglass insulation in the ceilings of some classrooms. 

Vermiculite is a naturally occurring mineral once used as a common insulation. The mineral is safe if kept pure, but around 75% was mined in Libby, Montana, where it’s likely contaminated with amphibole asbestos. 

Libby is considered one of the worst human-caused environmental disasters following decades of mining that exposed the entire area to asbestos. While vermiculite is no longer used in construction, the United States Geological Survey says the material is still inside an estimated 1 million homes and buildings across the U.S. 

School superintendent Heidi O’Leary says air quality tests throughout the building are “good.” O’Leary believes there are no health concerns or signs of asbestos in the air. The district is busy working on an asbestos abatement plan. 

In a letter sent to families and staff, O’Leary states: “We understand that these changes may cause some inconvenience, and we appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate this situation. Our goal is to ensure a safe learning environment while minimizing disruptions to our students’ education.” 

Asbestos Testing Ongoing at North Carolina Schools

Testing for lead and asbestos is underway at all schools and daycares across North Carolina. The 3-year process began in 2023. Starting with elementary schools, testing of schools with low-income students is next and then schools built before 1988. 

Once the testing of 3,100 schools and 5,700 daycares is complete, results will be posted on a public website. Officials will notify students’ families whenever asbestos is detected at a school. 

The EPA announced $26 million in grants in August 2024 that are funding the testing. The money is aimed at protecting children in schools and childcare facilities nationwide.

EPA Orders Ohio Charter Schools to Address Asbestos  

Classes are starting back up on time in parts of Ohio following a summer of asbestos and lead paint remediation. The EPA imposed a mandate in June 2024 on ACCEL Schools Ohio LLC following a violation involving lead paint and deteriorating asbestos at 3 charter schools. ACCEL is a public charter school system operating 77 charter schools.

The EPA also discovered the school system lacks a required asbestos management plan. The charter school system hired an environmental consulting firm to inspect each school campus and take the necessary actions to reopen for the upcoming school year. 

At a public school in Tipp City, Ohio, parents and school officials are calling for a new building following the discovery of asbestos. A roof leak brought attention to asbestos in the gym at Broadway Elementary School in March 2024. Because the school was built in the 1950s, it’s likely asbestos products are present throughout the building.

A vote passed in March 2024 to create a new PreK-8 school. If everything goes as planned, the new school will open in August 2027. 

School Demolition Plan in Michigan Still Looming   

In Birmingham, Michigan, the decision to demolish a century-old school remains up in the air over asbestos concerns. West Bloomfield School District’s plans to tear down Roosevelt Elementary School are still in the works, but local residents worry about the potential for asbestos fibers to become airborne as a result of demolition. 

Last year, the school district hired Arch Environmental, an environmental consulting and waste management firm, to inspect the school for asbestos. Arch Environmental detected asbestos-containing materials in more than 65,000 square feet of the building.

The nonprofit organization Heart of the Lakes Community Inc. filed a lawsuit against the West Bloomfield School District. The suit aims to prevent the demolition of Roosevelt Elementary School.

“We’re afraid of potential contamination by not abating all of the asbestos in that building, which should be done,” said Heart of the Lakes member Brad Babbitt. “So that’s an endangerment to the community, and it’s also financially irresponsible.”

Babbitt added, “It doesn’t make any sense to take a building that’s perfectly sound and demolish it when developers want to make it into something that would really be special for the community. We just don’t understand why West Bloomfield’s doing this.” 

Attorney Timothy Mullins, who is representing the school district, countered,“Buildings are torn down all the time. There’s a certain way to do it; that’s why you do the asbestos abatement before you do the demolition, so there’s no asbestos in there when you do the demolition. … so there is no danger to anybody’s health.” 

Meanwhile, a Wexford County, Michigan, elementary school recently underwent asbestos removal. School superintendent Jack Ledford says asbestos was eliminated from a room in the building. The room with the asbestos inside closed, and employees were sent home after the discovery. The room reopened following proper abatement practices and 2 clean air checks.

Philadelphia Area High School to Fully Reopen Next School Year

Frankford High School in Philadelphia is expected to reopen to students and staff for the 2025-2026 school year. It has been closed since April 2023 because of asbestos. 

The 108-year-old building has a $19.9 million plan to refresh the main section of the school from the ground up to the fourth floor. School district officials say once the work is completed, there will also be new classroom ceilings, LED energy-efficient lights and new vinyl flooring for the cafeteria.

Asbestos abatement work includes:

• Enclosure of asbestos-containing materials, including laminate panels installed over plaster walls in corridors and classrooms
• Removal of plaster ceilings
• Removal of vinyl asbestos floor tile in the building’s basement

“Frankford has been an important and historic center for learning for more than a century in Philadelphia,” Chief Operating Officer Oz Hill said in a release. “We are confident this investment will enable us to safely reopen the building to students and staff.” 

“We are grateful for the patience and cooperation of the Frankford community,” Hill added. “[We] are working cooperatively with school leadership and meeting every quarter to provide updates on our progress.”

Asbestos Crisis in Philadelphia Schools

Asbestos in Philadelphia area schools received national attention when The Philadelphia Enquirer brought the problem to light in May 2018. Between 2019 and 2020, at least 11 schools had to be partially or fully closed for asbestos abatement and remediation. 

According to superintendent Dr. William Hite Jr., approximately 80% of Philadelphia schools were built before 1978 and are likely to contain asbestos. Teachers diagnosed with asbestos-related cancers have filed lawsuits against the district.

In August 2019, Philadelphia area school teacher Lea DiRusso was diagnosed with mesothelioma after teaching at 2 asbestos-contaminated schools for nearly 30 years. Soon after the school board warned other local teachers about the risks of working around asbestos in its schools. In February 2020, DiRusso received an $850,000 settlement from the Philadelphia School Board.

Physical education teacher Juan Namnun filed an asbestos lawsuit against the School District of Philadelphia in March 2024 after his diagnosis of a rare form of breast cancer. His lawsuit claims his diagnosis of papillary carcinoma is a direct result of repeated exposure to asbestos while working at Frankford High School for many years. 

Several studies show asbestos-related chronic inflammation can increase the risk of developing breast cancer. Namnun’s attorneys also argue that the school district covered up asbestos contamination at the school.