You rarely hear about asbestos today, but did you know that it is all around us? Asbestos can be found in residential and commercial buildings all over America. The mineral was thought to be affordable, readily-available, and perfectly safe to handle up until the 1970’s, when the Environmental Protection Agency declared it a known carcinogen and hazardous to human health. Despite the dangers, many of those same buildings remain standing today.
Schools
About half of America’s schools were built during the peak years of asbestos-use, meaning they were constructed with asbestos materials. This is especially dangerous for teachers, students, and workers that occupy the older school buildings in our country.
Click here to see our infographic on asbestos in schools.
Power Plants
Asbestos exposure was common for workers in power plants built prior to 1988.
Public Arenas
Many public arenas, including sports stadiums, conference centers, and coliseums, are sources of asbestos exposure. Many of the construction workers who built the structures were unaware they were possibly exposing themselves and future ticket-holders to one of the deadliest substances of our time.
Asbestos fibers are most dangerous when in their natural state, often making demolitions and remodeling of these public spaces a nightmare. Special precautions must be taken for asbestos abatement and strict guidelines are not always followed. Was a public building or space constructed with asbestos in your city or town? Do you worry about exposure today?
