May 4th, 2008

An historic school in Idaho will now need extensive cleaning after asbestos was found in and around some of the buildings. The old school, built in the 1800s was being renovated as a convention space.

A school in Idaho that is on the National Register for Historic Places has been temporarily shut down during renovations due to asbestos. The campus was being converted to be used as a retreat for reunions and company gatherings and was due to open in June. The asbestos was found in multiple buildings on the campus, and was also evident in soil samples taken. The developers renovating the school have stopped construction and are working with the Department of Environmental Quality to clean up the dangerous substance.

Asbestos was extensively used as a form of insulation before the 1980s, when the material was restricted in the United States. Asbestos is a safe material, as long as it is not mishandled or improperly removed from its original placement. Disturbing asbestos can cause the material to become airborne, and can then be a health hazard. Breathing in airborne asbestos has been linked to respiratory diseases and cancer, like mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a type of lung cancer that can take decades to diagnose, and is often untreatable when found.