The Environmental Protection Agency reports that asbestos was once used widely in schools due to its fire resistance and thermal insulating properties. In fact, the EPA estimates that most of the nation’s approximately 107,000 primary and secondary schools contain asbestos materials. During the thirty-year post World War II boom, virtually all contractors who constructed and renovated schools used these materials extensively. The concentration of asbestos in these materials varied from one to 100 percent.

These sources of asbestos could be found in the following products:

• Floor and ceiling tiles
• Corrugated paper pipe wrap
• Cement-asbestos pipe
• Acoustical and decorative insulation
• Spray-applied fireproofing

Asbestos Removal in Schools

Unfortunately, asbestos’ value in a number of different applications means it can still be found in a number of different locations which school administrators may not even be aware of. However, if administrators are aware of all these sources of asbestos materials, they have several options to control the risks. These include the following actions:

• Maintenance:  The most common asbestos management plan, this action involves ensuring asbestos-containing materials are kept in good condition to avoid dangerous deterioration which spreads the dangerous fibers throughout schools.Repair: Damaged sources of asbestos are repaired to ensure no particles can escape.
• Encapsulation: A sealant is sprayed on asbestos materials to prevent fiber release.
• Enclosure: A barrier is placed around asbestos materials.
• Removal: The final action usually taken, removal takes place when material damage is severe and the other techniques will not properly control the release of fibers.

Asbestos fibers pose the greatest risk when disturbed, which allows the friable material to enter the air. When undisturbed, these fibers remain relatively well-contained. In response, administrators may choose to control the fiber release with the above mentioned actions. However, for asbestos-containing materials which cannot be contained, full abatement is required. During professional abatement, all traces of this material must be removed, as remaining asbestos in a crumbled state can easily be inhaled. An ill-conceived or poorly carried out asbestos control policy may actually increase the risk to those inside schools, meaning the proper design, supervision, and conduction of these procedures is essential.

At-Risk Individuals

Obviously, asbestos exposure puts school children at significant risk. Their developing bodies are highly susceptible to all environmental pollutants, including tiny asbestos fibers. Furthermore, children may enter small spaces and other low areas where asbestos accumulates, putting them in even greater jeopardy. Other factors which contribute to the risk for some school students are the age of their school and its general condition.

However, students are not the only ones who face significant asbestos exposure risks. Teachers also face a heightened risk of inhaling and ingesting asbestos particles, as they work in these facilities for decades. Due to its friable nature, every year that passes in these schools increases the teacher and administrator risk of suffering asbestos exposure due to the material’s natural aging and deterioration.

Health Risks

Asbestos exposure leads to several significant respiratory illnesses and cancers. These include asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. However, these conditions do not develop immediately after asbestos exposure, but generally see a delay of 20 years or more. Mesothelioma, in particular, possesses a latency period of 20 to 50 years, meaning victims of this disease may have undergone decades of unrestrained exposure prior to the final development of this illness.

Mesothelioma is also one of the most lethal outcomes of asbestos exposure, as it is incurable and presents patients with a short life expectancy of just four to 18 months. Furthermore, just 10 percent of mesothelioma patients survive over five years. There are three major types of this disease, which are all difficult to diagnose. Due to their mild or very general symptoms, mesothelioma is frequently ignored or misdiagnosed in its early stages, leading to its frequent discovery in its later stages. This late-stage diagnosis further contributes to the poor management success seen, as a full range of treatments are rarely available to patients in its later stages.

Legislative Action

To address the risk of school asbestos exposure, in 1986, Congress passed the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), which is designed to help protect school children and employees from dangerous asbestos exposure. This legislation required the EPA to create a comprehensive framework for dealing with asbestos in public and nonprofit private elementary and secondary schools. With its passage, schools are now required to inspect all school buildings for both friable and non-friable asbestos, have management plans in place, and carry these plans out quickly in the event asbestos is found. Under the legislation, school officials are also required to notify parents, teachers, and employee groups about any asbestos-related activities.

Furthermore, to help address this serious school threat, the EPA established the asbestos-in-schools assistance program. This program, headquartered in Washington, D.C. and assisted by ten regional offices, provides technical assistance to school officials and workers seeking asbestos information.

References:

Environmental Protection Agency: The ABCs Of Asbestos In Schools