Asbestos abatement continues at Old Lyme High School

Asbestos abatement work began Monday at the Old Lyme High School in Old Lyme, Connecticut. The work will continue through August 27, reports theday.com.

The asbestos abatement work will cost the school district $189,000. Yet such work makes up only a quarter of the total amount of asbestos to be removed. The asbestos abatement work is part of a $47.9 million renovation project–which will be completed by Bestech Inc. of Ellington, Connecticut.

The asbestos abatement process will make the Old Lyme High School safer. For asbestos is a highly hazardous material, which, when disturbed, poses a serious health risk to those exposed. Extended exposure to the material has been known to cause several diseases, including malignant mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is the most aggressive asbestos-related disease, known to form from the internal linings of the lung, heart and abdominal cavities. The disease affects nearly 3,000 Americans each year.

Symptoms of the disease lie dormant for 10 to 50 years. Because of this, many patients fail to receivemesothelioma treatment in the early stages of their disease.

Students and individuals under the age of 18 are prohibited from entering the building, or standing within 20 feet of the work area. The building will remain open to staff members and to those 18 years of age or older.