Mesothelioma News: Mesothelioma hazard forces students out of school

This article was taken from maacenter.org

Elementary School in Sacramento, California have been relocated to Bear Flag Elementary School because of asbestos fibers found in the attic insulation of the school building. Asbestos is a toxic mineral that was commonly used in the manufacturing of insulation up until 1989, when asbestos was banned in the United States for causing a variety of fatal respiratory illnesses. Lung cancer and mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the protective lining of the body’s major cavities and organs, are the deadly legacy of asbestos exposure.

Although asbestos was found in the attic of the school, air testing conducted by an independent laboratory determined that asbestos has not made its way into the main building classrooms. If accurate, this would mean that students and staff will likely not have been exposed. Unfortunately asbestos cancer takes decades to develop, so many people don’t realize that they’ve been exposed until much later when they become ill.


The asbestos at Fruit Ridge was found when workers installing wireless technology at the school disturbed the attic insulation. The building has vermiculite insulation, considered a serious hazard because it contains a particularly dangerous type of asbestos, in the main building between the original ceiling and a second, newer drop-in ceiling. Tests found that the insulation contained a low concentration of asbestos between 0.067% percent and 0.17%.

The asbestos-containing insulation will be removed and the school will undergo a professional cleaning. The district has not said how long it expects the project to last or whether students will be able to return by the end of the current school year.

Source : maacenter.org