Asbestos abatement project postponed in Leonia elementary school

Parents at a Leonia, New Jersey elementary school are up in arms over the school’s plan to remove asbestos material while school is still in session.

In order to quell parents’ outrage, Superintendent of the district, Bernard Josefsberg, held two information meetings last Monday.

Due to parents’ rising concerns, the abatement work will now be postponed until summer.

Josefsberg notes he should have handed out a letter prior going forward with the plan, however, he also said, “The truth is, asbestos abatement is a common occurrence in New Jersey, and of several schools we called, some did send a letter, some did not.”

Josefsberg, along with Scott Higgins of ABS Environmental, insist that asbestos abatement is not an unusual or dangerous occurrence during a weekend which school is still in session.

Despite this sentiment, however, parents are still concerned for their children’s well being. For they are aware of mesothelioma information–that inhaling asbestos particles may cause their children to contract several asbestos related cancers, including the rare and aggressive cancer, mesothelioma.

Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer which affects the body’s internal linings, and typically goes unseen for several decades. Once diagnosed, there is little treatment to help the patient’s cause.

The superintendent has postponed the project, although it may incur additional costs of up to $200,000, to begin again as a whole school community.

A construction safety committee has also been formed, which will update parents of the ongoing project.