Charter Schools Fined for Asbestos

Charter Schools Fined for Asbestos

Charter Schools Fined for Asbestos

Thursday, April 23rd, 2009

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is requiring nine Tucson- area charter schools to pay fines totaling $67, 240 for asbestos found on their campuses.

After more than a year of negotiations between the EPA and the schools over the fine amounts, both parties finally came to an agreement late last week.

Asbestos Found on School Grounds

The EPA found that the schools were in violation of asbestos guidelines when they conducted a surprise inspection last spring.

According to reports, one of the schools never held a formal inspection for asbestos before opening, and the others were not checking on a regular basis.

Although all the schools are now asbestos free, officials worry that many of the children could have already been exposed to the harmful material.

Spokesman for the EPA, Dean Higuchi, explains the reason asbestos is so dangerous is because its effects aren’t realized for as many as 30 years after initial exposure.

The Fines

Early this week, the EPA released the names of the schools involved and the amount they were each fined.

Amongst the schools named were Pima Partnership that was fined $12, 600, the Transformational Learning Center, which owes the same amount, and Tucson Urban League Academy was fined $11,300.

Schools Claim They Were Oblivious

Spokeswoman for the Southside Community School, Christene Curtis, claims they were unaware they needed to have any asbestos management plan.

“It was a surprise to us when we were fined,” states Curtis.

According to Higuchi, many older buildings were built with a certain amount of asbestos, which can be potentially harmful to those exposed to it.

Therefore the EPA requires all schools and businesses to implement asbestos management plans and check regularly.

(Source: AZ Starnet)

Have you or someone you know been wrongfully exposed to asbestos? If so, please contact us today to speak with an experienced asbestos attorney who will lead you in the right legal direction so you can be compensated for any losses you have endured.
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