Asbestos News

Students at a public school in the Australian state of New South Wales are attending classes in makeshit facilities after asbestos forced the closure of a number of classrooms.

One of the building's at Ballina Public School was found to contain asbestos this past October and, as a result, four classes had to be moved, according to the Lismore Northern Star.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Education and Training told the news provider that the school was equipped to deal with the situation.

"The school has 10 spare rooms which have been used to accommodate affected classes," she said. "No classes were held in hallways or without furniture."

However some are upset with the situation.

"There are really specific requirements around asbestos and asbestos removal – we need safe environments for students, staff, parents and anyone else in the school grounds," Nicole Major, an organizer with the NSW Teachers' Federation, told the news source. "But it is not appropriate that at the start of the school year these students don't have an appropriate learning environment."

Asbestos exposure can cause malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer.