Asbestos Cancer

... News & Star skip to: page content Next By Nick Griffithsand Phil Coleman ANGRY parents are demanding answers after a Carlisle primary school found itself at the centre of an asbestos health scare.

As parents expressed their fears over asbestos tiles at St Cuthbert’s Roman Catholic Primary School in Botcherby, the school issued a statement saying there is no evidence to suggest that former headteacher Ian White was exposed to asbestos while working at the school.

Mr White, 66, died on Christmas Day last year from an asbestos related cancer.

His death has prompted the school to commission specialists to carry out an asbestos survey of the school.

Though initially refusing to comment, school governors have issued a statement saying the asbestos tiles have been “continuously monitored for damage and deterioration over the last 20 years”.

It adds: “There are absolutely no health risks to staff or pupils from exposure to asbestos.

This fact has been confirmed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Inspectorate.” North East Cumbria Coroner David Osborne alerted the HSE to the presence of asbestos in the school following the opening of Mr White’s inquest.

Cumbria County Council has also urg...

... News & Star skip to: page content e SHOPPING Parents need proof of safety Published on 07/03/2006 To learn that a school is at the centre of a health scare following the sad death of a former headteacher from asbestos-related cancer is worrying.

To discover that there is asbestos in “all but a handful” of our county’s schools is troubling.

Ian White’s widow maintains that the only asbestos her husband could have been exposed to was at his school, St Cuthbert’s Roman Catholic primary, Botcherby.

Cumbria County Council is right to tell parents not to panic over the situation.

But they can be forgiven for being worried and demanding immediate action to protect their children.

The school has reacted quickly and properly in commissioning an asbestos survey and says tiles made of the material continue to be monitored.

The County Council admits asbestos is in most of our schools, but is harmless.

If this is so, it should be proven through a series of Health and Safety Executive checks on all school property.

Staff, pupils and former pupils at St Cuthberts should be screened to ensure the school has a clean bill of health.

Swift and effective action is needed from the council.

The fears of parents are entirely understandable and must be laid to rest.

The safety and security of our children is paramount and it is the council’s duty to ensure our schools are properly run and main...

... CBC News: Newfoundland mine site air 'heavily laden' with asbestos: report Indepth » Viewpoint » Newfoundland mine site air 'heavily laden' with asbestos: report Last Updated Tue, 07 Mar 2006 07:42:45 EST CBC News The Baie Verte asbestos mine site in Newfoundland is "heavily laden" with airborne asbestos, according to research commissioned by the provincial government.

The study, by Amec Earth and Environmental, concluded that the "mine site buildings are heavily laden with asbestos" and that "it's likely that airborne asbestos fibres preside throughout the site." The mine was developed in the 1950s, and run by a succession of owners before it closed permanently in 1995.

Asbestos is known to cause specific types of cancer and lung diseases.

It is most dangerous when broken up and inhaled.

Miners and their families have been concerned about the health consequences of asbestos for decades.

In 1977, they launched what became Canada's longest health-related work stoppage.

The provincial government commissioned the site assessment in 2004 and had the consultant's report for almost a year.

However, Natural Resources officials say the final research report hasn't been released because its findings are still under review.

CBC obtained a copy of the study through provincial freedom of information legislation.

The site assessment shows that the mine produced more than two million tonnes of asbestos, leaving more than 200 million tonnes of waste rock behind.

"Whatever we can...