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Asbestos abatement could be rescheduled

May 10, 2007 | David Hotle | Fairfield Ledger

   After hearing concerns from a group of parents regarding the plan to abate asbestos in Stewart Elementary before the end of the school year, the Washington school board will see if the abatement can be rescheduled to be done over the summer.
      Washington School Superintendent Dave Schmitt also gave parents the option of removing their children from the last week of school with no penalty.
      "You can be well assured the school board and the superintendent take these concerns very seriously," Schmitt told the concerned parents.
      As part of the school's renovation, tiling and glue containing asbestos - a substance used in older buildings as a fire retardant - would be abated from Stewart Elementary School's kitchen and storage areas. The abatement is scheduled for May 19. Asbestos-containing tile in classrooms will be abated over the summer. Schmitt said that the crews would set up a special barrier in the school while they remove the asbestos-laden flooring. The barrier will include a special filter that will ensure that none of the carcinogenic fibers will go into the school's air supply. Schmitt also said that the contractors will work with the state Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Natural Resources to follow every mandated procedure. He assured the parents that the students were "99.99 percent safe."
      During public comment, Ed Burdock gave statistics of 7,740 accidents involving mishaps in the handling of hazardous materials in a year's time. He said 33 percent were due to human error and 48 percent were due to mechanical failure.
      "I don't know how in good conscience you can say nothing will happen," Burdock said. "Don't risk, don't gamble with the kids in school, especially when there are only two weeks left."
      He also commented on an incident at the University of Iowa where patients were instructed to hold their breath if the barriers come down.
      Parent Diane Graff commented that she had taken her child out of school because of concerns regarding the abatement and concerns of dust currently in the gym, which also serves as the school's cafeteria. She challenged Schmitt to give her a guarantee in writing that the children would be 100-percent safe.
      Maintenance Director John Trier told the board that the schedule of the abatement company was tight. Schmitt also said the abatement was going on so major construction would be done before the students returned after the summer, citing that the heavy construction equipment was also a danger to the students.
      The board determined the abatement company should be contacted to see if the date for the abatement can be moved until after school is out. The issue will be brought up again during a special May 16 meeting.
      Asbestos fibers, if inhaled, can disrupt the normal functions of the lungs, causing diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. Some of the health problems associated with asbestos may not manifest themselves for many years after the exposure.