Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fiber. Asbestos may be added to a variety of building products to strengthen them and to provide heat insulation and fire resistance. Asbestos-containing building materials include fireproofing material (sprayed on beams), insulation material (on pipes), acoustical or soundproofing material (sprayed on to ceilings and walls), and in miscellaneous building materials, such as asphalt, vinyl, and cement to make products like roofing felts, shingles, siding, wallboard, floor tiles. Friable asbestos, or asbestos that can be crumbled or broken by hand pressure, is of the most concern because these fibers can be released into the air more readily and inhaled into the lungs.

The presence of asbestos in high-activity public buildings such as schools presents the opportunity for inadvertent disturbance and potential for exposure. Frequency of use can also lead to frequent repairs which present exposure potential if not properly managed.

If friable asbestos and fibers are released into the air, there is a potential health risk because persons breathing the air may breathe in asbestos fibers. Continued exposure can increase the amount of fibers that remain in the lung. Fibers embedded in lung tissue over time may cause serious lung diseases including: asbestosis, lung cancer, or mesothelioma.

In 1986, the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (commonly referred to as AHERA) was signed into law. AHERA requires public and private non-profit primary and secondary schools to inspect their buildings for asbestos-containing building materials. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published regulations that require schools subject to AHERA to:

• Perform an original inspection and periodic re-inspections every 3 years for asbestos containing material

• Develop, maintain, and update an asbestos management plan and keep a copy at the school

• Provide yearly notification to parent, teacher, and employee organizations regarding the availability of the school's asbestos management plan and any asbestos abatement actions taken or planned in the school

• Designate a contact person to ensure the responsibilities of the local education agency are properly implemented

• Perform periodic surveillance of known or suspected asbestos containing building material

• Provide custodial staff with asbestos awareness training

It is EPA's goal to provide schools with the technical assistance they need to meet the requirements set forth by Congress. Schools that fail to meet the AHERA requirements are subject to civil enforcement action by the EPA or designated state environmental agency.

Asbestos in Schools Fact Sheet [PDF] - August 2003

Exposure to airborne friable asbestos may result in a potential health risk because persons breathing the air may breathe in asbestos fibers. Continued exposure can increase the amount of fibers that remain in the lung. Fibers embedded in lung tissue over time may cause serious lung diseases including: asbestosis, lung cancer, or mesothelioma.

a) Asbestosis – Asbestosis is a serious, progressive, long-term non-cancer disease of the lungs. It is caused by inhaling asbestos fibers that irritate lung tissues and cause the tissues to scar. The scarring makes it hard for oxygen to get into the blood. Symptoms of asbestosis include shortness of breath and a dry, crackling sound in the lungs while inhaling. There is no effective treatment for asbestosis.

b) Lung Cancer – Lung cancer causes the largest number of deaths related to asbestos exposure. People who work in the mining, milling, manufacturing of asbestos, and those who use asbestos and its products are more likely to develop lung cancer than the general population. The most common symptoms of lung cancer are coughing and a change in breathing. Other symptoms include shortness of breath, persistent chest pains, hoarseness, and anemia. People who have been exposed to asbestos and also are exposed to some other cancer-causing product, such as cigarette smoke, have a greater risk of developing lung cancer than people who have only been exposed to asbestos.

c) Mesothelioma – Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is found in the thin lining (membrane) of the lung, chest, abdomen, and heart and almost all cases are linked to exposure to asbestos. This disease may not show up until many years after asbestos exposure. This is why great efforts are being made to prevent school children from being exposed.

If you feel you may have been exposed to airborne asbestos fibers, you should consider consulting a physician with expertise in pulmonary abnormalities.

Commonly Used Acronyms

ACBM - Asbestos Containing Building Material
ACM - Asbestos Containing Material
AHERA - Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act
AMP - Asbestos Management Plan
CFR - Code of Federal Regulations
EPA - Environmental Protection Agency
FR - Federal Register
LEA - Local Education Agency
NDAAC - National Directory of AHERA Accredited Courses

Asbestos in Schools Publications

Asbestos Regulations - 40 CFR 763

EPA's Office of Children's Health Protection

EPA's Healthy School Environments Web Portal

US Department of Education - Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools

National Parent Teachers Association - Health and Safety in Schools

National Education Association - Environmental Health/Indoor Air Quality in Schools

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) -NIST maintains a listing of accredited asbestos laboratories under the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP).

NVLAP Accredited Laboratories for the PLM Test Method

NVLAP Accredited Laboratories for the TEM Test Method

Asbestos in Schools Information:

Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA)

Parents, Teachers and Other School Employees

Local Education Agency Designated Persons

Health Effects of Asbestos

Commonly Used Acronyms

Useful Links