Asbestos in Schools

In EASTCHESTER, NY, students of Anne Hutchins Elementary will have to begin the school year at nearby Greenvale Elementary due to delays in asbestos cleanup at their school. During construction over the summer, rainwater leaked in through the roof the the school’s second story. The ceiling of the second level had to be replaced and the entire floor cleaned up from the asbestos in the ceiling tiles used.

Greenvale Elementary is built to house a total of 1,400 students. This will be more than adequate to accommodate the 430 Anne Hutchins students along with the 517 already attending Greenvale. Greenvale students will start their day at 8 am, while those from Anne Hutchins will report to school at 8:30 am.

Eastchester High School will host an informational meeting for parents on Tuesday September 2. The asbestos cleanup is expected to be completed by the end of the week of Labor Day. Students should be able to return to Anne Hutchins Elementary by September 8, 2008. The roofing contractor has agreed to pay for the cost of the asbestos cleanup, but no cost estimates have been reported.

In WEIRTON, WV, an aging, abandoned, asbestos-contaminated school has received a federal “brownfield” grant of $200,000 for its cleanup. Closed in 1991, the Cove School has been an attraction for vandals and vagrants in the area. Plans to tear down the building and reuse the site had been thwarted due to the prohibitive costs of cleaning up the asbestos on the site.

The $200,000 grant is a part of the federal brownfields program which focuses on cleanup and assessment of environmentally hazardous sites. Thanks to the funding, the city of Weirton can begin asbestos abatement. The city’s $79,000 in costs thus far accrued will be repaid from the federal grant money.

As soon as the decontamination of the site is completed, bids for demolition of the school itself will be taken. Possible future plans for the site include senior housing or green space.

Sources:

“Asbestos delays opening of Eastchester school”, The ( Lower Hudson , NY ) Journal News , 30 August 2008

“Weirton Gets EPA Grant to Clean Up Abandoned School”, RedOrbit, 1 September 2008 ,

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