West Virginia works slowly toward asbestos-free schools

Sep 7, 2008

The school system in Kanawha County, West Virginia began removing asbestos from its school buildings back in 1984. That’s when school officials learned that asbestos exposure can result in the development of diseases like asbestosis and mesothelioma, a painful cancer that may take 15 to 40 or more years to appear. But the work is slow-going and nowhere near complete. One difficulty is that the business of removal can’t start until the business of school stops. The workers don’t begin until the students are gone for the summer. And before the kids come back, the air must be tested to ensure that no asbestos dust remains.

The other challenge is that the asbestos is everywhere. It’s in the floor tile, the plaster ceilings, the insulation, the siding and even in the paint and chalk boards, according to the current school board. The system’s director of maintenance and energy management, Terry Hollandsworth, notes that the asbestos becomes dangerous when it is released into the air. When airborne, the fibers may be inhaled and lodged in the lungs. Diagnosis of asbestos diseases, such as mesothelioma, can be very difficult because it takes years for symptoms to develop. By then, serious side effects begin to present themselves.

The Kanawha County school system is going after the schools in the worst condition. The newer schools were asbestos-free to begin with. This year alone, the system has spent over $300,000 on the undertaking. “It’s the right thing to do,” Hollandsworth said.

For the full story, go to www.dailymail.com

Latest News Stories