Friable Asbestos in Schools

Students, parents and faculty members across the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) might be unknowingly exposed to friable asbestos.

Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring minerals used as fire retardants, insulation, brake pads, plaster, etc. Exposure to asbestos has been linked to cancer and diseases due to scarring in the lungs.

Friable asbestos is, "asbestos containing materials (ACM's) are material's that contain more than one percent asbestos by weight or area, depending on whether it is a bulk or sheet material and can be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by the pressure of an ordinary human hand."

Public records on the TCDSB's website, from a 2008 survey, shows the type, condition and area of asbestos in all schools across the board. Annually, Mr. Maltese confirms that, "mandatory inspection by a third party environmental consultant," is mandatory. To inform staff, all schools are required to have an asbestos manual which shows all areas of the school that contain AMC's as well as information from previous inspections.

Staff and students are surrounded by asbestos in the school place. Asbestos may be found in Ceiling tiles, floor tiles, curtains, insulation, pipes, tiles, cement and blackboards.

The TCDSB safety coordinator, Corrado Maltese, confirms the presence of Friable asbestos in schools across the board and states that, "if [the asbestos is] left alone...there is no danger." The school board prefers to manage the asbestos in place rather than disturbing it. Friable asbestos crumbles and releases fibres. If the AMC's are undisturbed and undamaged they pose no threat. Once there is damage it must be reported and replaced.

In particular, St. Ursula is known to have friable asbestos in their floor tiles and ceiling tiles. Most staff at the school has a general understanding of asbestos and it's health risks. Teachers' are not happy.

Mrs. Lipari, a regular substitute teacher for St. Ursula says, "[I'm] not happy. [I'm] concerned about my health and the health of others in the school. I know it's dangerous, so I try not to think about it too much."

Other teachers feel indifferent to the health risks and feel comfortable in the work place because it is the work place they chose. One teacher stated, "nowadays you can get sick from just about anything."

St. Ursula has plans for new additions in the near future. Few teachers have growing concerns about how the improper removal of asbestos, in the construction zones, will affect the community of Guildwood.

This goes for all schools across the TCDSB, " 168 elementary schools..., 31 secondary schools... and 3 combined (elementary and secondary) schools," Although asbestos has been around and used in construction for decades, new information and research done on the dangers and risks of asbestos is creating growing concerns among individuals who may be at risk of inhaling asbestos fibres.

The question now becomes, with plans for construction and health risks are discovered, how with the Toronto catholic District School Board deal with the asbestos containing materials?

Sources:

http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/healthy-living-vie-saine/environment-environnement/air/contaminants/asbestos-amiante-eng.php

http://www.hwma.net/sites/default/files/friable_vs_non-friable_asbestos-5-5.pdf

https://www.tcdsb.org/board/planningandfacilities/asbestos/Pages/default.aspx

https://www.tcdsb.org/school/Pages/default.aspx