Asbestos Removal to Begin at Minnesota High SchoolSpring Lake Park, Minnesota - Ongoing renovations at Spring Lake Park High School in Spring Lake Park, Minnesota are expected to be finished in time for the first day of school on September 8th. A new main entrance is being added to the building, new sports fields will be added, and the school will get a fresh coat of paint and renovated classrooms. In addition, toxic asbestos will be removed from the building. The district has declared that the renovations focus for the high school during the month of June will be asbestos removal.
Asbestos, a toxic mineral, was once used in insulation and tiles, among thousands of other items. It is now known to cause lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare but aggressive cancer that can kill within months of being diagnosed. This month, crews of workers will remove asbestos and other environmental hazards that may be present in the building. The officials of School District 16 believe that the asbestos removal will take about 10 days to complete. The work at Spring Lake Park High School is part of a district-wide renovation project.
Other improvements to the school will include a new irrigation system for the baseball fields, new softball fields, eight new tennis courts, resurfacing on four existing tennis courts, and classroom renovations. The renovations are funded by a $95.9 million levy referendum approved by voters in 2006. The school district is home to schools that contain over 4,500 students.
The issue of asbestos in schools is not new, as aging school buildings across the country require asbestos abatement. Due to the high costs associated with removal and disposal of asbestos, not to mention the replacement of older asbestos-containing products with new, safer materials, school districts often put off abatement because there is just not enough money within their budget.
