FITCHBURG — If the damage at Crocker Elementary School was just a burst steam pipe, officials agree getting children back in the building would have taken far fewer steps, as was the case in other district schools.
But the asbestos, which was disturbed in the wake of the burst over winter vacation, adds another element to the recovery.
The material’s presence in the building was not a surprise to administrators, who say they are required by federal law to periodically document the asbestos present in the 54-year-old elementary and other district schools.
According to experts, Fitchburg is not alone.
“Essentially almost all of U.S. schools built between 1940 and 1970 contain asbestos, which was widely used as a fire-proofing building material,” said Brent Sears, quoting information from the organization he represents, Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance.
A 2015 study by architectural firm Lamoureux Pagano & Associates described the presence of asbestos in the floor tiles of Crocker and Memorial Middle School. A document from the same year submitted by the district to the MSBA also mentions asbestos.
More than a building material, the substance is a known carcinogen which can cause mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer that can develop decades after inhaling particles.
“The thing that makes it a great building material, the fact that it is very durable, is one of the reasons that it can eventually lead to cancer, because it doesn’t break down in the body,” said Sears.
However, asbestos is not always addressed in buildings, according to Walter Pacheco, the managing editor of Asbestos.com, a site that covers issues related to the material. When left undisturbed it does not pose a threat, whereas the act of removing it can cause particles to be released into the air, he said.
He described asbestos abatement as an often costly process that involves using a vacuum with a specialized filter and dampening the area to keep the particles from becoming airborne. Sometimes asbestos is removed, other times its encased, often in a concrete shell.
Even if left undisturbed, Pacheco said asbestos can become a problem in an aging building.
“Asbestos itself, if it’s just sitting there, it’s not going to hurt anybody. It just sits there,” he said. “The problem with asbestos, especially in older schools, is once all that other stuff starts to fail, especially the pipes, the crumbling walls, cracks in the walls, it starts damaging products that contain asbestos.”
Sometimes this damage can occurs without the knowledge of the people using the room, he said.
While it’s common for schools and other buildings to leave contained asbestos unabated, Lunenburg Public Schools has taken a different approach. From 2015-20, the district expects to spend $500,000 abating asbestos at Turkey Hill Elementary School.
However, even with these efforts, Lunenburg Building Director and Supervisor John Londa said the pervasive material will not be completely eradicated, because “you don’t ever really get rid of all the asbestos until you get rid of the building.”
The presence of asbestos in many buildings in Massachusetts has also raised alarms at state Attorney General Maura Healey’s office. In March of last year, her office started the Healthy Buildings, Healthy Air initiative to better document asbestos in public schools based off a 2015 report from U.S. Sen. Edward Markey’s office that showed the presence of asbestos in schools still remains largely unknown.
“We know too little about current asbestos hazards in our schools, workplaces and other buildings, and what we do know indicates we have a widespread problem in addressing this toxic threat,” said Markey in a release from the Attorney General’s office.
“We cannot let lack of awareness put families, workers, students and teachers at risk of asbestos exposure. We need to arm consumers with information about where asbestos can be found so they can avoid exposure, and create a more systemic and dedicated commitment to removing it from our neighborhoods, especially local schools.”
To address the recent damage at Crocker, Fitchburg administrators have hired Joe Knapik, a certified industrial hygienist at ATC Group Services, who will represent the district and help develop a response to the incident.
The company is also collaborating with the district regarding leaks at Longsjo Middle School. Knapik praised the maintenance performed by the district and said Fitchburg Public Schools has followed the proper procedure regarding asbestos.
“They’ve been managing the asbestos risk according to code,” he said. “This happened to be an accident that occurred. Sometimes those happen. The kids weren’t at risk because this occurred when the school wasn’t in session.”
He also described the specifics of the Crocker incident and response.
“The school has suffered what’s called a fiber release episode relating to the disturbance of some floor tiles and ceiling tiles,” he said.
The asbestos containing floor tiles and adhesive were damaged from the steam. Ceiling tiles, also containing asbestos, in the first and second floors experienced water damage, he said.
“A contracting firm, a cleanup company, did some work and procedures weren’t followed,” said Knapik who declined to name the company. “That work occcured before we got involved and we’re now left with the aftermath.”
On Monday, City Solicitor Vincent Pusateri said the city was not involved in any litigation regarding this matter.
While the “fiber release” occurred in only one wing of the school, the repair process also includes inspecting the condition of the rest of the school, he said. Knapik said addressing the issue requires coordinating with school and state agencies to perform air tests and abatement.
School officials say they are unsure how long Crocker will be closed, though early estimates placed the repairs at four weeks. In the meantime, students are studying at the former St. Anthony’s School on Salem Street and the former T.C. Passios Elementary School in Lunenburg.
Pusateri said the city’s insurance agency — the Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association — is expected to pay for the abatement process and, likely, secondary costs, such leases on school buildings.
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