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...................,, ^F.- PLAINTIFF'S EXHIBIT DUP-1380 Asbestos in schools opens Pandora's Box By ANDREA HERZBERG Stiff Writer IF TODAY'S school administrators were asked to update mythology, Pandora's Box would be lined with ftfbestot. The new interpretation certainly wooidn't get an argument from administrators at two Rensselaer County schools. The state Health Department's Division of Environmental Health Toxic Substances Unit recently re ported random samples takes from ceilings at Tamarac Junior-Senior High School in Cropseyvtlle and St. Joseph's School in Troy contained varying amounts of asbestos materi als. In both cases, school officials must cope with the technological and financial problem this discovery un leashes. Inhaling loose asbestos fibers has been linked to several lung diseases and cancer in people whose jobs subjected them to high levels of exposuie. Because asbestos-related diseases take between IS and <0 yean to show up, scientists cannot presently determine if a "safe" level of exposure exists. Therefore, health and education officials are forced to view any asbestos contained in buildings as a health hazard. But while officials, parents and environmentalists who have bad to deal with an asbestos problem agree that a potential health threat should be removed, there are often conflicting views as to what exactly constitutes a dear and present danger, and on the best course of action. There art no rigid government regulations to follow. Tamarac and St. -Joseph'! are typical examples of the mess created by versatile asbestos fibers. The Tamarac Junior-Senior High School, which is in the BnttonJUll School District was built in 19*9-1960, with an addition constructed in 1970-1371. St Joseph's, under the jurisdiction of the Albany Roman Catholic Diocese, was built in IBM. Contractors used materials mtrM with sshestos extensively for fire and soundproofing constructed in the period following World War n until 1173, when such materials were banned by the Environmental Protection Agency. (Tbe EPA ban, however, did not extend to asbestos materials used for decoration until 1171) . Meanwhile pufaUdiy over the dangers of low-level asbestos con tamination has picked op is tbe list few years. Is December, tbe Environmental Defense Fund, a coali tion of lawyers and scientists, sued EPA in order to force government regulations requiring schools to detect ind get nd of asbestos hazard! Conthasd, pngs U "The asbestos genie is out of the bdttle, We!re the first ones to really get hit hard by it, but it will occur all over. " -- Anthony Smith, N. Y school official DUP 1110929 DU 054923 Closing Pandora's Box (CoBttaaadlnmPagel) BrittonkiU School District, admits that he's most afraid of Is making the EPA's response was a voluntary what the district plans to do is "still up wrong decision. "I would hate to have program: Two guidance booklets offer- m the air." Reading in between the it on my conscience that I reacted to tag technical assistance on detecting lines of the federal documents, community pressure -- right now there and removing asbestos materials were Ambrose says, leads him to believe the isn't any - and made the wrong mailed to every school district m the ultimate answer is to remove all the decision." cootry. The program, which began in dangerous materials. Bid Ambrose Carroll, who is continuing la help the March, did not satisfy EOF. whose says government officials say dif pomttaB on asbestos has been sup ferent. district asaeaa the problem, sympa thies,-admitting that the guidance ported by the national PTA. And "I had one person tell me the best documents "don't tU you much about apparently, the New York State thing you could do was leave it alone if what to do." The state tayi the 2 Legislature wasn't convinced either, it's solid," Ambrose said. A business percent asbestos samples art too low bacnae it passed a law which does, at man who had contracted to have an to be dangerous, and whether or not the very least, require all state schools asbestos ceiling removed from his firm the 50 percent materials are haaardous to survey for asbestos problems and told him tint because the techniques does Indeed depend on the ceiling's report to the state Education De are not perfected, more fibers were partment by Oct IS. released into the air forcing him to condition, Carroll says. "They might be okay just watching it. " he said. In accordance with the law, the state close the building for several weeks, But not everyone is to sympathetic. Health and Education Departments mailed out their awn guidance documna which told school districts to call ob local health departments if they needed assistance. The Rensselaer Ambrose said. Another method used to prevent asbestos contemplation is encapsula tion. which involves spraying with certain sealants to lock in the fibers. "They just ought to get off the dime aod do something," says Irr Lands, who has an eight-year-old> son attending Tamarac Etantntary School Lands, a consultant for the County Health Department received The materials in both Tamarac and SL state Health Department's Bureau of four requests, although Dennis Carroll, tb* county health technician in charge, aayi other schools may have conducted surveys sad teats independently. Carroll took samples from Tamarac Joseph's wen painted over. In addition, Carroll reported that the asbestos materials found in the BrittcnkiU School were covered by an extenor layer which doesn't readily Health Care Standards, wrote school officials requesting an asbestos in spection months before the samples were taken. Lands says the very least the aod St. Joseph's in May. The state lab, crumble if touched. However, he said, district can do is find out how much it deluged with samples from schools - u well as state-owned buildings -- reported the results about two weeks agoThe Tamarac samples range from material containing 50 percent aabestof. from a ceiling in the high school boys lodter room, to 2 percent found in a classroom ceiling. In addition, surplus material apparently ned for the ceilings found stored in a drum Labeled "asbestos." turned up a M percent rating. St. Joseph's sample, taken from a hallway ceiling, was reported as containing 40 percent of the carcinogenic fibers. Aside from ordering Tamarac's girls locker room ceiling be tested, and searching out a legal place to dump the surp.us asbestos. Ambrose Gorman, business director of the the underlying asbestos material, is "more fnable," or crumbly. How fnable materials are is one meaaure of how eaaily loose fibers will be released into the air. and therefore is one standard used to judge hpw senous an asbestos problem a building has. Ambrose says Brittonicill may possibly contract to have air samples taken. While such samples are not cheap, their cost is dwarfed by estimates of how much it would cost to go ahead with encapsulation or removal. "It ranges from 12 per square foot for scaling, to 125 per square foot for removal." said Ambrose. The locker room ceilings alone are between 3,000 ' and 5,000 square feet. At this point, says Ambrose, what would cost and apply for state aid. A spokesman for the state Education Department said aid is availble to districts which must spend over 210.000 to correct asbestos-related problems. The amounts are based on the district's wealth. But parochial schools are not eligible for state aid. And John Manning, assistant superintendent of the Albany Roman Catholic Diocese schools, says no decision will be made on St. Joseph s until the Diocese comes up with a plan to inspect all 77 schools. Meanwhile, he said. SL Joseph's ceilings appear to be in good condition. "As far as corrective measures." Manning said. "I don't think there a a state plan because they (state of ficials 1 feel that by ripping It down yon create more problems." DUP I 110930 DU 054924