As the US realizes its error of long asbestos use and attempts to correct the problems now rampant across the country, reminders consistently pop up to clarify the daunting height of such a task. Ridding the nation of just one toxic chemical could take exponentially longer than it took to spread it through homes, buildings and machinery across the country.
Smith Middle School of Chillicothe City Schools in Ohio is one such reminder. The schools facilities were closed in 2007 following the opening of a new school. Administrators are now considering all possibilities for the property’s future. Regardless of whether the school is rebuilt, sold, or razed, however, aged asbestos materials used in its original construction and remodels over the years must be removed.
Asbestos poses no threat if contained inside secure components. As an example among countless other things, many floor and ceiling tiles manufactured and installed in the US have been made with asbestos. As long as the tiles stay intact and undamaged, there is no safety or health risk. However, over time such materials begin to wear out, allowing the asbestos fibers to become airborne. This is particularly so in municipal buildings like schools where high traffic is an almost daily reality.
Smith middle School was built in 1931, well before asbestos health risks were known. It was not until the 1980’s that the US began to regulate use and removal of asbestos. The Environmental Protection Agency now outlines responsibilities regarding asbestos use in its Clean Air Act. Regulations are showing up around the world as asbestos proves its harmfulness again and again. The World Health Organization includes asbestos on its Type 1 carcinogen list along with arsenic.
Asbestos causes several respiratory conditions including asbestosis, lung cancer and the rare cancer mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is most associated with asbestos as its almost exclusive cause. Inhaled asbestos fibers can begin a mutation in lung lining cells that grow into characteristically irregularly patterned malignant tumors of mesothelioma. There are mesothelioma treatments available
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