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August 28, 2013
England, United Kingdom - In England, where the rate of asbestos-caused mesothelioma is higher than in most countries, reports have surfaced regarding the vast number of college dormitories that contain asbestos, noting that most of the students in these dorms have no idea that the toxic material is lurking somewhere within their sleeping quarters.
The Guardian reports that an estimated 17,000 college students this year will sleep in dormitories that contain asbestos materials of some sort, including floor and ceiling tiles, insulation, and more. Though the universities in question have asbestos management plans in place, most of the students don’t know about the asbestos, which means they’ll be less likely to report a problem if it gets damaged and becomes dangerous. Several institutions have openly admitted to not telling students about the presence of asbestos for fear of causing alarm.
The Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) expressed “deep concern” in regards to the situation, which was revealed after the Guardian investigated via the Freedom of Information Act.
“ATL has campaigned hard for a national audit to check for the presence and state of asbestos in all education establishments and for its safe removal. This discovery shows how necessary and urgent this is,” said a spokesperson for the organization. “We call on the government to take immediate action to ensure these bedrooms are checked, made safe and have the asbestos removed.”
The Guardian article notes that of 88 universities that responded to questionnaires about asbestos, 38 admitted to placing students in rooms that contain asbestos. The highest number of such rooms – more than 2,300 – was located at the University of Warwick.
A representative from that school admitted that they don’t tell their students about asbestos but said: “All students in university accommodation are under an obligation to report damage of any kind as soon as possible and are aware that they can incur a fine for non-reporting.”
“The material containing asbestos in these rooms is fully sealed and completely safe, fully in line with all statutory requirements and good practice.”
Similar situations may be present in some U.S. universities, especially those with dormitories built prior to 1970 when asbestos was widely used in common building materials. Colleges, like public schools, should have an asbestos management plan in place and should have someone on hand who knows how to handle asbestos-related situations so that asbestos exposure does not occur.
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