Petition claims asbestos violations at schools in Massachusetts

Petition claims asbestos violations at schools in Massachusetts

Petition claims asbestos violations at schools in Massachusetts

Thursday, June 10th, 2010

A legal petition filed by an advocacy group claims that the federal government needs to intervene to remove asbestos from hundreds of Massachusetts schools.

The petition, filed by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), claims that there is widespread noncompliance with federal asbestos guidelines throughout the Bay State.
Asbestos Abatement Plans Required of Schools

The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) requires both public and private non-profit primary and secondary schools to have plans in place for asbestos removal and containment and also allow for periodic inspection. Random audits of schools throughout Massachusetts over the past 10 years showed that 90 percent of schools were not in compliance with AHERA.

“School children, teachers, custodians and cafeteria workers are at risk of exposure throughout the Commonwealth,” said New England PEER director Kyla Bennett, a former EPA biologist and attorney. “These ultrahigh rates of noncompliance sound an alarm bell that we need more boots on the ground now to turn the corner on this by the end of the summer, before the schools reopen.”

Asbestos exposure can cause a number of deadly diseases, such as malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer.
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Petition claims asbestos violations at schools in Massachusetts