High asbestos levels detected in PA elementary school

Municipal buildings in the United States continues to face record levels of exposure to asbestos. What was once considered the backbone of American industry has become a threat to national security.

Asbestos was widely used between 1920 and 1980, and in the construction of many production lines. Shipbuilding, manufacture of ammunition, commercial and residential construction saw its highest level of asbestos. Only later, in the last century, that the risk of dangerous asbestos has been known. Asbestos causes serious respiratory diseases including mesothelioma, a rare cancer.

Students and faculty from Benjamin Franklin Elementary School or Philadelphia, Pennsylvania are aware of the dangers associated with exposure to asbestos. In 2003, after exceeding the level of use of their facilities, additional space adjacent to the school nearby Pilgrim Baptist Church. The church structure was tested every six months for abnormal levels of asbestos or hazardous. A test conducted in April by the Philadelphia Office of Environmental Management and Social Services and Health and Welfare Fund of Philadelphia Federation of Teachers had mixed results. levels of asbestos, which were higher than usual. Students and teachers were moved to another location nearby to await the detailed results and recommended changes to their property annexed.

Asbestos can cause mesothelioma if its fibers are inhaled or ingested toxic. These fibers accumulate on the walls of organs and initiate a process of growth transformation that spreads like a net of malignant tumors. Pleural mesothelioma is specific to the wall of the lung and peritoneal mesothelioma affects the lining of the heart, diaphragm and other organs.

A twenty thousand the number of people suffering from mesothelioma in the world each year, but asbestos is still used. Increased use of asbestos has been seen in the developing world where safety measures and regulations are minimal, if any. These countries also lack medical services to diagnose or treat mesothelioma.

When available, mesothelioma treatments usually include a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In general, palliative in nature, treatment aimed at reducing pain and quality of life. These treatments are also used in the form of cancer directly. There is no known cure for mesothelioma.

Instances of asbestos, such as Benjamin Franklin Elementary School are expected to continue worldwide until the use of asbestos is strongly affected or stopped.