Louisiana High School to Undergo Asbestos Removal

Opelousas High School in Louisiana was hit hard last September by Hurricane Gustav. An entire wing of the school was destroyed, forcing the school to erect makeshift classrooms in the school gymnasium.

Now the school is finally poised to begin rebuilding. Major construction is scheduled to begin soon, and it is hoped that the construction will be complete by the end of the summer.

M.D. Descant Construction will be handling the major construction. In addition to roofing and replacing walls, work must be done to remove the asbestos from the school. The asbestos removal will be handled by Poche & Associates.

The asbestos removal will be done when the students and staff of the school are not present.

Asbestos removal in schools can be time-consuming, and prohibitively expensive. Many school districts that wish to remove asbestos lurking in their buildings are often unable to afford the services of a professional asbestos abatement team.

Asbestos is recognized as a carcinogen by the World Health Organization and the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

If inhaled or ingested, asbestos can lead to serious health problems. Exposure to asbestos is linked to health conditions including asbestosis (a chronic inflammatory disease), lung cancer, and mesothelioma. Though there is no cure for this disease, there are a variety of palliative mesothelioma treatment options available.

Asbestos was at one time widely used in buildings components such as insulation, siding, and tiles. It was favored for resisting chemical and fire damage. At present, asbestos is not banned in the United States, and manufacturers can develop products using asbestos, but asbestos must account for less than 1% of the final product.