Sep 10, 2009 - Arizona Charter School Operators Fined For Asbestos Violations
Two operators of seven Arizona charter schools, Pointe Educational Services and The Charter Foundation, were fined over $22,000 for allegedly violating asbestos regulations as set forth by the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA).
Inspectors from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined that the two operators failed to inspect seven Arizona charter schools for asbestos containing materials (ACMs) and to establish mandatory asbestos management plans.
Asbestos is a known carcinogen that can cause serious diseases such as mesothelioma, a fatal cancer in the lining of the lung, abdomen or heart. Once inhaled, the symptoms of mesothelioma can take decades to appear from the time of first exposure. To date, there is no known cure.
Asbestos, if damage, disturbed, or in deteriorated condition, presents a threat to students, staff and school maintenance workers in any school built before 1980. Due to its toxicity, EPA regulations require all nonprofit schools, including charter schools, to conduct inspections for asbestos and to create and maintain asbestos management plans.
Pointe Educational Services was fined $13,700 and The Charter Foundation $8,330 for failure to abide by asbestos laws. The schools have since been inspected by accredited asbestos inspectors and management plans have been created for each of the seven schools.
The purpose of asbestos management plans is to protect the public from exposure by clearly identifying if and where asbestos is present. Maintenance and custodial workers are also required to receive proper training and to maintain any documents regarding repairs or removal.
A website is provided for those interested in learning more about EPA regulations regarding asbestos in the schools: http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/pubs/asbestos_in_schools.html
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