Concerns have been voiced that inmates and staff at a Kansas prison may have been exposed to asbestos, a known carcinogen linked to the development of lung cancer and mesothelioma. Now, a former vocational instructor at Topeka Correctional Facility has gone on the record saying that inmates and prison employees who worked on a renovation project at the facility several years ago were exposed to a work environment where, to quote local sources, “asbestos…hung so thick in the air it covered clothing and clogged furnace filters.”

According to Mr. Robert Ames, who performed heating and air-conditioning maintenance at the prison and supervised prisoners who worked on the project, "Their [prison officials] tactics for handling asbestos in a safe manner was nonexistent…Everything in there was full of asbestos. They had ground up the floor. The pipes were cut into sections…They took the utmost precaution to maintain the historic integrity of the building. They did little to nothing to care for the safety of their workers."

Now, officials with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are investigating these allegations. The incident in question allegedly took place during 2005, when one of the prison’s dormitories underwent major renovations. Inhaling or ingesting asbestos can lead to health problems later in life. Sadly, many of these health problems take decades to emerge, but are conversely very aggressive once the first symptoms have surfaced.

"The governor is aware of the issue and appreciates the Department of Corrections’ full cooperation with the EPA," said Seth Bundy, a spokesman for the state’s governor.

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