Asbestos News
Concerns mount over potential asbestos exposure of youths in Australia
Children as young as 13 years old may have potentially been exposed to asbestos that was discovered at a County Fire Authority (CFA) training ground in Bangholme, Australia, reports the Herald Sun.According to the news provider, fragments of asbestos were discovered by a staff member in a garden at the site last week. The CFA reportedly has allowed children as young as 13 years old to serve as volunteers, and these youths were among those contacted after the asbestos discovery was made.
Currently, an independent expert is in the process of conducting tests and the training ground is expected to remain closed until such testing is completed, the news source said.
A spokesman for the CFA told the news provider that safety was the main concern and that all the necessary precautions were being taken even though the asbestos contamination was thought to be low level.
Even low level asbestos exposure can cause the development of serious illnesses such as malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.
5/3/11
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