Asbestos News

Young students at Belvedere Infant School recently returned to classes for the first time in three months following the discovery of asbestos in the school's hallway, according to This Is Local London.

The news source reports the students were forced to take classes at other schools while the asbestos was removed. All of the students were able to return to the building by February 20, however, according to the news provider.

A spokeswoman for the school noted that students and staff were "pleased to be back" following months of instability.

"It was an upheaval but we were able to continue with the children's education and carry on business as usual," she told the news source. "The contractors did a fantastic job and managed to get the majority of children back into their classrooms ahead of schedule."

Removing asbestos from the school is critically important considering the symptoms of asbestos-related illnesses such as lung cancer, asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma often do not appear until decades after initial exposure, meaning young children could begin to suffer the effects in their 20s or 30s.

According to the news provider, the school houses 240 students between the ages of 4 and 7.