No mesothelioma asbestos violations at Connecticut schoolsWinsted, Connecticut - In Winsted, Connecticut, fears about asbestos were recently raised at a local middle school, prompting a round of air quality testing. Asbestos exposure is linked to the development of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer that usually affects the lining of the lungs or tissues in the abdominal cavity. Mesothelioma affects less than 3,000 Americans each year, and typically lies dormant for up to fifty years before an individual begins to suffer from mesothelioma symptoms.
Now, the test results are in, and state investigators have ruled that no violations of health or safety codes have been detected at the Pearson Middle School. According to Department of Public Health spokesperson Bill Gerrish, "We did send some staff to the school, which did a review. They are not out of compliance with any state regulations."
While a number of broken, asbestos-containing floor tiles are present at the school, they have been adequately covered with rugs. The health department is in the process of reviewing the school's asbestos management plan, and according to Superintendent Blaise Salerno, the district must provide all asbestos-related documents to the state by the middle of April.
According to Danny Cimmino, who owns a company that has worked with the school over the years (Asbestos Management Co., LLC), "They do a pretty good job of trying to tackle these things as they come up. When they find it, they do what they have to do," he said. "It's probably not a health issue at this point."
