School Buildings Expert Says British Kids are Safe from Asbestos

KENT, UK - The BBC program Inside Out recently disclosed to British citizens that 554 of 599 Kent County schools are impacted by some level of asbestos contamination. Asbestos is a known carcinogen, and its use has been banned in numerous countries around the world. The BBC revelations were cause for much concern amongst students and their parents, as well as teachers and other personnel at the schools. School officials admit that their buildings house a wide variety of construction materials that contain asbestos. These same officials point out, however, that most of the asbestos in the schools is of the white or chrysotile type-the form considered to be the least hazardous, though, the far more dangerous brown amosite and blue crocidolite asbestos can also be found in Kent schools.

Peter Binnie tells parents and others not to worry. Binnie is head of operations for the Kent County Council's Property Group, which manages the school buildings.

"Schools in Kent have asbestos in them, but it is managed, controlled, and identified in a very stringent way so there is minimal risk to pupils and teachers," said Binnie. Referring to the schools, Binnie further stated, "Children are better protected there than they are in their own homes."

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that can be found in countless countries around the world. From the latter part of the 19th century to the early 1970s, asbestos was widely used by manufacturers for everything from auto brake pads to kitchen floor tiles to pipe insulation. Use of the mineral was sharply curtailed in the 70s when it became known that exposures to asbestos could lead to serious respiratory disease.

Undisturbed, asbestos poses little threat to health, but, when the substance is fractured, microscopic asbestos fibers can become airborne and inhaled into the lungs. Once lodged in the lungs, the asbestos fibers can remain dormant and undetected for 20-50 years before leading to the onset of such diseases as asbestosis (a severe scarring of the lungs that results in greatly reduced lung function), as well as the aggressive, incurable, and inevitably fatal cancer known as mesothelioma.

Not everyone has been reassured by Mr. Binnie's proclamation that the Kent schools are safe. Every year approximately 4,000 people die of asbestos-caused cancer in the UK, including a rising number of teachers, and England's National Union of Teachers (NUT) is demanding that all asbestos be removed from the nation's schools.

Kent's NUT secretary, John Walder, pointed out that authorities in Ireland and the U.S. are removing asbestos from schools. "The NUT's view is quite clear," said Walder, "we think the solution is the complete removal of asbestos from all the working spaces. As long as authorities do not remove asbestos from a site, there will be a risk of fibers getting into the atmosphere and getting into people's lungs."

Many individuals are also concerned because the government has left it up to the schools to decide if an asbestos problem exists. Dr. Alistair Stewart, a leading mesothelioma specialist in Kent weighed in on the issue. "If the asbestos is truly well-managed, then this is a storm in a tea cup." Dr. Stewart goes on to say, "But the problem is that we don't really know if it is."

Many experts contend that a total eradication of asbestos in the Kent schools might pose more health risks than leaving the material in place, and for now, Kent school officials are relying on Mr. Binnie's assurances that the current, stringent, and meticulously monitored asbestos management programs are keeping everyone safe.

To receive a FREE Mesothelioma Web information packet** or to make a request, please fill out the following form :

**For a FREE information packet including treatments, clinical trials, and specialists, please complete the form above or call a Mesothelioma Web coordinator at 1-877-367-6376.

News

Resources

This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here

If you would like to receive a FREE information packet or have questions about mesothelioma, call us at:

Toll-Free 1-877-367-6376