Asbestos News

Waverly Drive Public School in Ontario was closed recently after construction workers disturbed a pipe that was lined with asbestos, the Guelph Mercury reports. Officials feared that the substance, known to cause malignant mesothelioma, would affect the air quality of the school.

Mark Weidmark of the Upper Grand District School Board told the newspaper that "readings were far below allowable limits set by provincial and federal regulations."

Although the risks of the recent incident were minimal, every precaution was taken to keep the children safe from the asbestos. Efforts to spread awareness of its harmful effects, which can include the development of mesothelioma and asbestosis, are growing throughout the world.

According to the World Health Organization, 107,000 people are killed by asbestos-related illnesses around the world each year. Steps are being taken to eliminate the substance from schools and places of work, but much of the time, these actions disturb the asbestos during removal, as was the case in Guelph.

Parent Sarah Jackson commented to the Guelph Mercury that this sort of maintenance should be done while the kids are out of school for the summer.

Waverly Drive Public School was subjected to air quality tests and reopened a few days after the incident for classes, according to the news source.