Asbestos News

A kindergarten in Australia was recently closed down because it is feared that asbestos sheeting was disturbed during the installation of an air conditioning system.

Thirty students from a kindergarten in Gisborne, in the Australian state of Victoria, will have to attend school at another location, reports the Australian Broadcasting Company.

The Macedon Ranges Shire Council's assets director Dale Thornton told the news source that the air conditioning system was installed seven years ago but now that people are more keenly aware of the dangers posed by asbestos, it was determined that an investigation was warranted.

"The question's been raised - when that air conditioner was installed, was it done with compliance?" he said. "We're unable to ascertain that from the records, so we're closing the [kindergarten] as a precaution while we have qualified tradespeople check out the installation."

Erring on the side of caution when it comes to asbestos, especially when it involves small children, is likely a wise maneuver as exposure to the deadly mineral can cause a number of serious illnesses such as malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.