A man who worked as a steamfitter for the New York City Department of Education for 22 years spent the last 15 years reporting on dangerous asbestos in New York schools. When his repeated complaints about loose asbestos in the schools did not receive a response, he collected some of the asbestos-containing material and sent it to a lab for testing. The tests confirmed that there was loose, friable asbestos in the school. Friable asbestos is dangerous because it consists of small pieces that can become airborne and be breathed in. He has now been reassigned to sweeping warehouse floors, and he believes it is retaliation for blowing the whistle about asbestos problems in New York schools. New York has sued and recovered money from asbestos manufacturers because of these problems, but apparently the money recovered will go into a general fund and will not be reserved for asbestos removal in the schools. This means that loose asbestos fibers will remain in the school and will continue to be a health risk for students, faculty and other employees. Exposure to asbestos can cause a variety of serious respiratory diseases, including malignant mesothelioma.
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