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Asbestos in Schools

While most people associate the development of pleural mesothelioma with heavy-duty jobs such as employment in plants, factories and shipyards, the fact remains that there are other, less-predictable ways for someone to develop this lung disease.

Throughout much of the 20th century, asbestos was considered the ideal insulator and was used in some 5,000 products, many of them common household items that were encountered on a daily basis. The mineral was also widely used in the construction industry and was regularly found in homes, offices and even schools.

As the population of the United States grew after World War II, many new schools were constructed. Unfortunately, asbestos use was at its peak during this time, so it wasn’t unusual for construction companies to use the material inside these structures. Hence, many of the schools that continue to be in use today still have asbestos inside of them. 

Asbestos was used to make durable cement, was found in floor and ceiling tiles, could be found in some drywall tapes and adhesives, and may have been present in siding, shingles, and other common building products. In some cases, asbestos was even used in stage curtains such as those found in school auditoriums. These were meant to prevent fires, but when they wore out and fibers were released, they could be dangerous.

There have been several notable cases of teachers developing pleural mesothelioma due to exposure to the asbestos found within their classrooms. Though the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has taken steps to prevent such occurrences, the fact remains that exposure may still be a problem in schools that aren’t following the guidelines.

Asbestos Hazardous Emergency Response Act

Imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency in the late 1980s, the Asbestos Hazardous Emergency Response Act (AHERA) set forth certain guidelines to keep teachers, students and staff safe inside their schools. This law demands that an up-to-date asbestos management plan be in place at each school in the United States and that after an initial inspection, subsequent inspections be made every three years. In addition, school custodians should be trained in spotting troublesome asbestos and dealing with it so that everyone avoids exposure. Parents have a right to ask to see the management plan and to verify that the school is following the EPA guidelines.

That said, it is necessary to understand that asbestos can remain in a school – or in any public building – as long as it is deemed safe. That means it is not damaged and not releasing fibers into the air. This is standard practice as removing asbestos unnecessarily may cause more harm than good. If the asbestos is thought to be of concern, a professional abatement company will determine how to best handle the problem without affecting anyone who uses the building.

AHERA is a sound policy that serves well to protect students, teachers and staff, as long as schools adhere to the guidelines. However, before this policy was in place, teachers and others were indeed being exposed to asbestos inside America’s schools. As a result of not being informed of the dangers of the mineral, some have developed pleural mesothelioma. Because of pleural mesothelioma’s long latency period, a diagnosis of this cancer is often shocking, coming years and sometimes decades after the dedicated teacher or school employee has retired.