Asbestos

Asbestos-containing materials (ACM) in buildings do not always pose a problem (that is, a hazard) to occupants and workers in those buildings. Asbestos is a problem when asbestos fibers get into the air and are inhaled; that is, when there is human exposure.

Intact, undisturbed asbestos-containing materials generally do not pose a health risk. They may become hazardous and pose increased risk when they are damaged, are disturbed in some manner, or deteriorate over time and thus release asbestos fibers into building air.

EPA's asbestos program for schools (AHERA) and its guidance for other building owners is founded on the principle of "in-place" management of ACM. This approach is designed to keep asbestos fiber levels low by teaching people to recognize asbestos-containing materials and actively manage them. Removal of ACM is not usually necessary unless the material is severely damaged or will be disturbed by a building demolition or renovation project.

For more information on Asbestos, visit:

Asbestos in Schools
EPA is introducing a new "Asbestos in Schools" web page. EPA's new Asbestos in Schools web page provides users with basic information such as asbestos and health information, factsheets/Qs and As, guidance manuals and links to additional EPA and non-EPA asbestos pages.

Featured Asbestos Resources:

Healthy School Environments Assessment Tool (HealthySEAT)
HealthySEAT is a new software tool from EPA designed to help school districts conduct voluntary, customized self-assessments of their school facilities for environmental, health, and safety hazards.
Source: EPA - Office of Air and Radiation - Indoor Environments Division
http://www.epa.gov/schools

Asbestos In Schools
EPA's new Asbestos in Schools web page provides users with basic information such as asbestos and health information, factsheets/Qs and As, guidance manuals and links to additional EPA and non-EPA asbestos pages.
Source: EPA - Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics
http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/pubs/asbestos_in_schools.html

The National Directory of AHERA Approved Courses (NDAAC)
The NDAAC lists training course providers and courses approved for accreditation purposes pursuant to AHERA.
Source: EPA - Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics
http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/pubs/ndaac.html

NCEF- Healthy School Environments Resource List
National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities resource list of links, books, and journal articles on environmentally safe and healthy school buildings.
Source: National Institute of Building Sciences - National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities
http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/healthy_schools.cfm

National Compliance Assistance Clearinghouse
The National Compliance Assistance Clearinghouse is your guide to compliance information on the Internet. It provides quick access to compliance tools, contacts, and planned activities from across EPA as well as other compliance assistance providers.
Source: EPA - National Compliance Assistance Clearninghouse
http://cfpub1.epa.gov/clearinghouse/index.cfm?Tab=Home

LEED for Schools
The LEED for Schools Rating System recognizes the unique nature of the design and construction of K-12 schools. Based on the LEED for New Construction rating system, it addresses issues such as classroom acoustics, master planning, mold prevention and environmental site assessment.
Source: U.S. Green Building Council
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1586

Green Buildings Portal
Green or sustainable building is the practice of creating healthier and more resource-efficient models of construction, renovation, operation, maintenance, and demolition. EPA's Green Building web portal provides links to energy, waste, water, materials, and indoor environment resources.
Source: EPA-Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response - Office of Solid Waste
http://www.epa.gov/greenbuilding/

Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Improving Environmental Conditions in MA Schools
This website provides links to a variety of web resources that address how to improve the school environment. Topics such as facilities management (including a wide range of environmental, health and safety issues), hazardous waste site impacts on schools, transportation, and waste reduction and recycling are addressed.
Source: Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
http://www.mass.gov/dep/service/schools.htm

California -- Sustainable Schools
This website provides a diverse collection of sustainable building resources that will help schools create high performance educational facilities that will ensure the optimal health and productivity of students and faculty.
Source: California Division of the State Architect
http://www.sustainableschools.dgs.ca.gov/sustainableschools/

National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP)
The Asbestos NESHAP applies to building demolition and renovation projects in schools. The regulation specifies work practices and other standards to minimize asbestos releases.
Source: EPA - Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards
http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-TOX/pre1994/3814-7.pdf

Environmental Compliance and Best Management Practices Guidance Manual
This comprehensive environmental manual is available on-line in both English and Spanish.
Source: EPA - Region 2
http://www.epa.gov/region02/children/k12/

Collaborative for High Performance Schools
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) aims to increase the energy efficiency of public schools in California by marketing information, service, and incentive programs directly to school districts and designers. The Collaborative's goal is to facilitate the design of high performance schools: environments that are not only energy efficient, but also healthy, comfortable, well lit, and contain the amenities needed for a quality education.
Source: Collaborative for High Performance Schools
http://www.chps.net/

Rhode Island Rules and Regulations for School Health Programs
These regulations, issued by RI Department of Education and RI Deptartment of Health, address a number of environmental/health issues in schools, such as: mercury, pesticide application, asbestos, lead, radon, water supply, and chemical hygiene plans. The regulations prohibit the use of certain chemicals from schools (see Appendix A).
Source: RI Dept Education and RI Dept Health
http://www.rules.state.ri.us/rules/released/pdf/DOH/DOH_2722.pdf

The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) Regulation
The AHERA regulation requires schools to inspect their buildings for asbestos-containing building materials and prepare plans to manage any asbestos found. The regulation also establishes standards for asbestos abatement actions.
Source: EPA - Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics
http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-TOX/pre1994/3269-8.pdf

Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Walkthrough Video Assessment
This is a streaming-video module directed towards schools in city environments. The purpose is to help people identify potential indoor air quality problems and how to correct them. Based on EPA's Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Program.
Source: Rutgers University
http://urbantfs.digiscript.com/

The Asbestos Model Accreditation Plan (MAP)
The MAP requires accreditation for persons who do inspections in schools and other public and commercial buildings, prepare school asbestos management plans, and design and conduct asbestos response actions in schools and other public and commercial buildings.
Source: EPA - Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics
http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-TOX/pre1994/4170-1.pdf

New Hampshire Healthy School Environments
This website provides links to resources to help schools assess and address health, safety and environmental issues in school buildings. Both a fact sheet on NH Department of Environmental Services (NH DES) efforts to customize EPA's HealthySEAT , as well as New Hampshire customization of the software may be downloaded from this site.
Source: New Hampshire Department of Envrionmental Services Air Resources Division - Air Resources Division
http://www.des.nh.gov/ARD/EHP/HSE

Tox Town
An introduction to toxic chemicals and environmental health risks you might encounter in everyday life, in everyday places, including schools.
Source: National Institutes of Health - National Library of Medicine
http://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/index.html

Massachusetts Environmental Health and Safety Issues in Massachusetts' Primary Schools
The interagency Healthy Schools Council was tasked with identifying a list of the most important issues for schools to address in terms of environmental health and safety. A multi-agency/multi-media checklist was developed addressing these issues.
Source: Massachusetts Healthy Schools Council - Massachusetts Department of Public Health
http://www.state.ma.us/dph/beha/iaq/schools/schools.htm

New York State Department of Education Office of Facilities Planning
Contains a wide range of resources on environmental and occupational safety and health issues affecting school facilities.
Source: New York State Education Department - Office of Facilities Planning
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/facplan/HealthSafety.htm

Washington State School Health and Safety Program
The program provides consultation, technical assistance, and training to local health jurisdictions, schools, and parent groups on school health and safety issues.
Source: Washington State Department of Health - Office of Environmental Health & Safety
http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/ts/school.htm

California - Los Angeles Unified School District Product Review Database
Searchable database of over 5,000 products evaluated by the LAUSD Office of Environmental Health and Safety to determine their suitability for use in and around Los Angeles schools.
Source: Los Angeles Unified School District - Office of Environmental Health & Safety
http://www.lausd-oehs.org/productreview.asp

Indiana - IDEM E-Newsletter for Indiana Educators
This newletter provides information on a range of environmental topics which schools must address.
Source: Indiana Department of Environmental Management
http://www.in.gov/idem/schoolnews

Massachusetts --A Case Study of Environmental, Health, and Safety Issues Involving the Burlington Massachusetts Public School System
This Web site provides a case study of Environmental, Health, and Safety issues in the Burlington, MA public school system.
Source: EPA Region 7 - Burlington Board of Health
http://www.epa.gov/Region7/education_resources/teachers/ehsstudy/index.htm

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Tools for Schools Kit
This Web site provides a description of the IAQ Tools for Schools Kit which shows schools how to carry out a practical plan of action to improve indoor air quality at little or no cost using common sense activities and in-house staff.
Source: EPA Region 6 - Tools for Schools Program
http://www.epa.gov/earth1r6/6pd/toolsforschools/tools4u.htm

EPA Guide to Protecting Children's Health in Schools
Software tool developed by EPA Region 5 and Purdue University provides information on hazards found in schools, inlcuding a virtual tour of a school, the potential effects of those hazards on children's health, planning tools, case studies, and lnks to resources to help schools prevent and fix environmental problems.
Source: EPA Region 5 & Purdue University
http://www.epa.gov/seahome/child.html

Asbestos Containing Material in Schools: EPA-Approved Courses Under AHERA: Notice 56 FR 43064
Effective May 31, 1995, the EPA is announcing the availability of a new edition of its National Directory of AHERA Accredited Courses (NDAAC). This publication, updated quarterly, provides information to the public about training providers and courses approved for accreditation purposes pursuant to the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA).
Source: EPA - Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics
http://www.epa.gov/docs/fedrgstr/EPA-TOX/1995/May/Day-31/pr-83.html

Inventory of Federal School Environmental Health Activities
This inventory was prepared by the Schools Workgroup of the President's Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children and includes descriptions of major school related programs and activities of EPA and other Federal departments and Agencies.
Source: EPA -- President's Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children
http://yosemite.epa.gov/ochp/ochpweb.nsf/content/Inventory.htm/$file/Inventory.pdf

Illinois -- Greening Schools
Greening Schools offers FREE technical assistance, workshops for teachers, administrators and facility managers, and on-line resources related to pollution prevention for all Illinois schools.
Source: Illinois Waste Management and Research Center
http://www.greeningschools.org

EPA New England Asbestos Enforcement Program
This web site provides basic information about the various environmental regulations governing asbestos in schools (AHERA, ASHARA and NESHAP).
Source: EPA Region 1
http://www.epa.gov/region1/enforcement/asbestos/index.html

EPA New England's K-12 Schools Website
This site discusses efforts to improve coordination and integration amongst EPA's many schools related programs, and provides links to Regional topic specific web sites, such as: asbestos, diesel school buses, drinking water, environmental management systems, energy, indoor air quality, lead, mercury and teacher and student resources. Links to national websites are provided as well.
Source: EPA Region 1
http://www.epa.gov/ne/schools

EPA Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention
The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) establishes requirements for Federal, State and local governments, Indian Tribes, and industry regarding emergency planning and Community Right-to-Know reporting on hazardous and toxic chemicals. The Community Right-to-Know provisions help increase the public's knowledge and access to information on chemicals at individual facilities, their uses, and releases into the environment. States and communities, working with facilities, can use the information to improve chemical safety and protect public health and the environment.
Source: EPA Chemical Emergency Preparedness & Prevention - Chemical Emergency Preparedness & Prevention (CEPPO)
http://yosemite.epa.gov/oswer/ceppoweb.nsf/content/epcraOverview.htm#epcraoverview

EPA Regional and State Asbestos Contacts
List of asbestos contacts in the EPA Regional Offices and the States.
Source: EPA - Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics
http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/pubs/regioncontact.html

Chem Info Net
The Chem Info Net designed as a chemical health and safety resource for teachers, administrators, and service personnel. The site is an ongoing project and information will be added on a regular basis. The initial focus is on laboratory safety and chemicals used in the science curriculum. The information presented is based on current regulations and prudent practices. Local regulations may differ from National Standards. Please consult local and state agencies if standards or procedures are unclear.
Source: Maine School of Science and Mathematics - (aka Limestone Community School)
http://www.cheminfonet.org/

Florida -- Brevard County Public Schools Office of Plant Operations and Maintenance
The Office of Plant Operations and Maintenance for Brevard Public Schools in east-central Florida provides information to school administrators and facility managers on a wide range of environmental health and safety topics.
Source: Florida Brevard Public Schools - Environmental Health and Safety
http://plant-ops.brevard.k12.fl.us/

The OSHA Asbestos Page
The OSHA General Industry Standard for Asbestos and the Construction Standard for Asbestos provide comprehensive protection for employees engaged in construction, custodial, or other work involving asbestos.
Source: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/asbestos/

NCEF Resource List: Classroom Design
NCEF offers an annotated list of links, books, and journal articles addressing indoor air quality issues in K-12 school buildings, including building materials, maintenance practices, renovation procedures and ventilation systems. This specific site highlights various resources on classroom design.
Source: National Institute of Building Sciences - National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities
http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/classroom_design.cfm

NCEF Resource List: Asbestos in Schools
NCEF offers an annotated list of links, books, and journal articles on how asbestos abatement and management is conducted in school buildings, and how schools may comply with federal regulations.
Source: National Institute of Building Sciences - National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities
http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/asbestos.cfm

Maine Department of Education Facilities Management Template
Includes a draft ME School Facilities Maintenance Plan including checklists for Maintenance, Operations, Grounds, Custodial, and Vehicle Services
Source: Maine Department of Education
http://www.maine.gov/education/const/fmt.htm

California Indoor Air Quality Infosheets and Related Links
This Web page contains a list of information resources, legislation, and links regarding indoor air quality, mold, and asbestos, in addition to other environmental health concerns.
Source: California Indoor Air Quality Program
http://www.cal-iaq.org/iaqsheet.htm#Mold

Washington Department of Health Indoor Air Quality Program
The Department of Health's Indoor Air Program provides consultation, technical assistance, and training to local health jurisdictions, school districts, and the public on the health effects of exposure to indoor air contaminants such as mold, asbestos, and formaldehyde.
Source: Washington State Department of Health - Office of Environmental Health & Safety
http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/ts/IAQ.HTM

Connecticut - Asbestos Containing Materials in Connecticut Schools
Information on this Web site applies to all non-profit, public and private, elementary and secondary schools in Connecticut. Gives a brief overview of facility requirements and provides links to corresponding applicable regulations.
Source: Connecticut Department of Public Health - Asbestos Program
http://www.state.ct.us/dph/BRS/asbestos/asbestos_schools.htm

California Evaluating and Cleaning Up School Sites
DTSC's Schools Property Evaluation and Cleanup Division is responsible for assessing, investigating and cleaning-up proposed school property sites. The Division ensures that selected properties are free of contamination or, if the properties were previously contaminated, that they have been cleaned-up to a level that protects the students and faculty who will occupy the new school.
Source: California - Department of Toxic Substances Control
http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/Schools/

Massachusetts Preventing Indoor Air Quality Problems During Construction and Renovation
Renovation can adversely impact Indoor Air Quality in occupied building areas. Symptoms include headache, eye, throat, and respiratory irritation, and an increase in asthma complaints. The following recommendations have been successful in reducing Indoor Air Quality complaints during building renovation activities.
Source: Commonwealth of Massachusetts - Department of Workforce and Labor Development - Division of Occupational Safety
http://www.state.ma.us/dos/iaqdocs/IAQ-388.htm

U.S Department of Labor: Occupational Safety & Health Administration
Occupational Safety and Health Standards
Source: U.S. Department of Labor - Occupational Safety & Health Administration
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owastand.display_standard_group?p_toc_level=1&p_part_number=1910

EPA Region 2 Schools, Colleges, Universities Pollution Prevention Resources
Resources to assist schools, colleges and universities in gathering the information necessary to achieve, maintain, and go beyond compliance with environmental regulations. The site includes guidance, relevant documents, presentations delivered at several conferences, and a number of links related to environmental auditing, self-disclosure, regulations, pollution prevention, and a wide array of topics geared toward those involved in all aspects of environmental protection at academic institutions.
Source: EPA - Region 2
http://www.epa.gov/region02/p2/p2res.htm

EPA Asbestos in Schools Rule
The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) requires Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to inspect their schools for asbestos-containing materials. The Web site briefly outlines the Asbestos in Schools Rule and its required activities.
Source: EPA Region 6 - Multimedia Planning and Permitting Division
http://www.epa.gov/earth1r6/6pd/asbestos/schools.htm