Asbestos Agreement Reached in CT

School officials in Brookfield, Connecticut have reportedly signed a consent order with the state Department of Public Health regarding asbestos problems at local schools.

The consent order reportedly outlines the district’s need to alter how it deals with asbestos problems that arise.

Properly Managing Asbestos

Superintendent Anthony Bivona signed the order earlier this week and welcomed parents who had been fighting the school district for years about proper asbestos management in the school system to do the same.

“This is a small measure of justice,” says Kerry Swift, one of the many parents who pushed for state health officials to investigate how asbestos was being handled.

The order supposedly details procedures to address and the threat of a $23,000 fine for the failure to follow the guidelines.

Asbestos Exposure Proven Harmful

According to reports, over the years asbestos was found in the old floor tiles of several schools in the district, along with the roofing.

Asbestos is a proven carcinogen that can be fatal to those who inhale or ingest it and can cause various forms of cancer.

Among the violations reported by DPH are:

• Failure to document required training for school custodians
• Failure to implement warning labels on asbestos materials
• Failure to maintain and update an asbestos management plan

“We would have liked to see some criminal charges,” says Swift. “It could be 50 years before we see the full ramifications of what happened here.”

(Source: NewsTimesLive)

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