Asbestos News

Asbestos can be found in more than 85 percent of the schools in the capital of South Korea, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education.

The Korean Herald reports that data from the agency indicates that 87 percent of the 1,669 schools in the area have at least some facilities that contain the naturally occurring mineral, based on inspections that took place in 2009 and 2010.

The inspections covered kindergartens, elementary, middle and high schools. High schools were found to have the highest rate of asbestos presence, according to the news provider.

Asbestos was commonly used in the construction of many buildings due to its insulating properties and resistance to fire. However, it became known that exposure to the substance can cause asbestosis, lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma, a rare cancer.

An official with the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education told the news source that action needed to be taken to address the dangers of asbestos.

"As much as the asbestos within the school can be harmful to the health of students, there needs to be safety classes and increased inspection to find solutions to the ultimate problem," the official said.