Asbestos Discovered At Middle School -- MesoLink.org -- 01-23-06

Officials have stated that neither students nor staff are in any immediate danger after asbestos was discovered at a middle school. The asbestos was found at Prospect Heights Middle School, and it has also been reported that work is due to begin to remove the deadly substance from the building, which will entail closure of the facility.

A spokesperson for the school stated that although asbestos was found in the tiling of the annexe building, tests were also carried out on the air and no particles of asbestos were found as a result of these tests. She stated: "Asbestos is only a problem when you disturb it."

The asbestos abatement project is scheduled to take 30 days, during which time the facility will be evacuated and closed. During this time classes and club activities, which are both held in this part of the building, will be transferred to other local facilities to cause minimal disturbance until the abatement project has been completed.

No costing has yet been confirmed for the abatement project, although it has been stated that it will come under the budget put aside for larger renovations, which will now be delayed as a result of the discovery of asbestos.