June 5th, 2008

Air test results shut down an Iowa elementary school this week amid concerns of asbestos. With only three weeks left in the school year, the superintendent is looking for a place for the 145 students.

For 145 students at an Iowa elementary school, the last month of school has been hard. After air tests showed that the school had elevated levels of airborne asbestos, the school was shut down and the superintendent is trying to find a place for them to finish out their year. Air tests showed that one classroom had asbestos levels ten times higher than the acceptable level. A hallway had more than 1,000 times the safe limit for airborne asbestos, resulting in the superintendent removing the students from the building.

Asbestos is a normally stable material that can be found in older buildings in America. Asbestos normally only poses a threat when it is disturbed or exposed to the elements and then becomes airborne. Breathing in airborne asbestos particles can lead to forms of cancer and respiratory illnesses. Mesothelioma, emphysema and asbestosis have all been linked to friable asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma results from breathing in airborne asbestos particles into the body, where they become trapped.