In Hutchinson, Kansas, schoolchildren and teachers will be forced to start their summer vacation early. Deadly asbestos is present in the school, and the school district wants to get a head start on asbestos removal this summer prior to some major renovations.

The school district says it is “gearing up for unprecedented building construction” this summer. The first step of that project will be asbestos abatement.

Asbestos abatement is required prior to renovations. The deadly substance can break down and become airborne, traveling through a building through the air vents. Once inhaled, asbestos fibers lodge in the lungs. Later in life, this exposure to asbestos can prove deadly. Asbestos is linked to diseases such as asbestosis and pleural mesothelioma.

As a result of the abatement, students will be dismissed for the summer on May 20, and the school district plans to turn several buildings over to contractors on May 26th for asbestos abatement and remodeling work.

While many individuals tend to think that asbestos issues are a thing of the past, this is not the case, as well over 30 million residences, office buildings, hospitals and schools contain asbestos materials.

Asbestos contamination in schools is particularly worrisome for two reasons. Not only is there the threat of exposure to staff and students, but the issue of cost as well. Asbestos removal is often very expensive, and many school districts do not have the money in their budget to cover these expenses. For this reason, abatement is often delayed by school districts until funding can be secured.

The issue of asbestos in schools is not only a problem in Kansas. Dozens of school districts in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Connecticut, for example, will be conducting costly abatement while students and staff are enjoying vacation this summer.

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.