Asbestos threatens future health of children
Saturday, August 1st, 2009
UK officials have issued general health warning after children were found with protective suits that some believe could have been contaminated with asbestos, a toxic material linked to lung cancer, mesothelioma, COPD, and asbestosis. The suits were taken away from a dumpster located at St. Michael’s Church of England Primary School in Helston, England. The suits are believed to have been used by contractors who donned the suits in order to clear out asbestos from the aging primary school. Police have instructed parents to question their children to ascertain if the children had been playing with the potentially dangerous suits.
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer with a long latency period, meaning that it can be decades between the initial exposure to asbestos and the development of common mesothelioma symptoms.
A Health and Safety Executive spokesperson said: "As an exposure, this does not present a significant risk, however, it is not a sensible thing to do and should not continue….Contractors who work with asbestos have a responsibility to ensure that protective clothing is either properly disposed of as asbestos waste or appropriately cleaned."
A police spokesperson told BBC News that the children had trespassed into an area where they were not authorized to be. Sargent Paul Marchant is concerned, as he doubts that the children knew how dangerous playing with asbestos or materials that may have come into contact with asbestos can be. "We are not looking into this matter for any criminal offenses, but we want to ensure the safety of the children," he said.
