Asbestos in Schools
Asbestos was commonly used in ceilings, floor tiles and pipe insulation in schools built before the 1980s. Federal law never required its removal, so staff, students and their families may still be at risk of exposure. If your exposure led to an asbestos-related diagnosis, you might have a claim.
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Asbestos in Schools
Asbestos was a standard construction material in American schools for decades because it was cheap, fire-resistant and provided efficient insulation during the postwar school-building boom. Manufacturers added it to many building materials from the 1940s through the 1970s.
The U.S. never fully banned asbestos and didn’t require schools to remove any asbestos already in place. Instead, schools usually manage asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) so they remain intact and undisturbed. Half of U.S. schools were built between 1950 and 1969, when ACMs were common. Experts estimated that roughly one-third of schools still had ACMs in 2015.
Where Asbestos Is Found in School Buildings
Asbestos in school buildings may be present in materials like floor tiles, insulation and roofing. In most cases, asbestos is dangerous when it is disturbed, damaged or deteriorating because the microscopic fibers become airborne.
Common Asbestos Locations in Schools
- Ceiling Tiles and Sprayed Coatings: Drop ceiling tiles and sprayed acoustic or “popcorn” textures may contain asbestos.
- Floor Tile and Mastic: Many older schools used vinyl-asbestos tiles and adhesive.
- Pipe and Boiler Insulation: Widely used to insulate pipes, boilers and heating systems.
- Roofing, Siding and Window Caulk: Including exterior roofing, siding shingles, window caulking and glazing compounds.
- Transite Board and Laboratory Components: Laboratories, fume hoods and wall paneling often contained asbestos-cement panels.
- Wall and Ceiling Plaster or Joint Compound: Some older plasters and drywall joint compounds contain asbestos.
Routine maintenance, renovation and demolition are common triggers for exposure when asbestos has not been properly identified and controlled. Most school buildings before the 1980s were constructed with asbestos materials. Cutting, shaving or sanding these materials can result in airborne asbestos.
Who Is at Risk of Asbestos Exposure in Schools
Teachers, students and custodians can be exposed to asbestos if ACMs aren’t properly managed. Students and school staff members can also put their family members at risk through take-home asbestos exposure.
Who Is at Risk
- Students: Children breathe faster relative to body size and have more years ahead for long-latency diseases to develop.
- Teachers and Other Staff: Teachers and other school staff members may work for decades in older buildings, increasing their exposure risks. Researchers found that elementary school teachers have elevated mesothelioma rates.
- Custodial and Maintenance Staff: Custodians, maintenance workers and building engineers are most likely to directly disturb ACMs.
- Renovation and Construction Workers: If contractors renovate, remodel or demolish school areas without first identifying and abating asbestos, they may expose themselves.
Take home or secondary exposure is when school workers may carry asbestos fibers home on clothing, hair, shoes and school supplies. Family members and loved ones are just as at risk of asbestos-related diseases and are eligible for compensation following a diagnosis.
Although schools are no longer built with Asbestos, renovations or construction can disturb the asbestos. Airborne asbestos can then be inhaled and place others at risk for asbestos related illnesses.
Health Risks of Asbestos Exposure at School
Mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis are the main health risks of asbestos exposure. There is no known safe level of exposure to asbestos fibers. Risks increase with intensity, duration and frequency of exposure, but even lower exposures may cause serious disease.
Asbestos Exposure Health Risks
- Asbestosis: Inhaling asbestos fibers causes this chronic lung disease, which leads to scarring and shortness of breath.
- Lung Cancer: Asbestos exposure raises lung cancer risk, particularly for people who also smoked.
- Mesothelioma: This is an aggressive cancer of the lining of the lungs, abdomen or heart. Mesothelioma is strongly associated with asbestos exposure.
These diseases can take anywhere from 20 to 60 years to develop. It’s important to document any known exposure incidents and share them with your doctor or attorney. Nemeroff attorneys can use any record or history of exposure in schools to gain compensation for treatment, pain and suffering and loss wages.
AHERA and How Schools Are Regulated
When it comes to who regulates asbestos in schools, federal law allows schools to have asbestos in their buildings. However, schools must identify and manage asbestos safely.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforces the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) of 1986 under 40 CFR Part 763, Subpart E, which sets regulations to protect students and school employees from asbestos. It applies to public and nonprofit private schools, including charter schools and those affiliated with religious institutions.
AHERA Requirements
- Designate a trained asbestos contact person
- Hire professionals who have completed training and hold licenses for inspections and response actions
- Inspect school buildings for asbestos-containing materials
- Maintain a written asbestos management plan for each school
- Notify parents, teachers and employee organizations yearly that the plan is available
- Reinspect known or suspected materials every three years
- Provide asbestos-awareness training for custodial staff
The Asbestos National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP), 40 CFR Part 61, Subpart M, also governs renovation and demolition projects. This is important because proper handling and removal of asbestos helps minimize exposure risks. It’s dangerous when people ignore duties, skip inspections or leave damaged materials behind.
Asbestos Removal and Abatement in Schools
Removing asbestos from a school is not always required. School districts can often opt for solutions such as encapsulation or in-place asbestos management.
Asbestos Management Options
- Encapsulation: Apply a sealant to bind fibers.
- Enclosure: Build a barrier around the material.
- Manage in Place: Monitor intact materials regularly and control access.
- Removal or Abatement: Licensed professionals perform this work using containment and specialized equipment.
Costs vary widely depending on the material, location, project size and containment needs. Removal can range from roughly $15 to $25 per square foot. In-place management can be sufficient since the danger generally lies in disrupting ACMs. It’s also cheaper than removal, which is why many districts choose to manage intact asbestos in place.
What To Do if You’re Concerned About a School
If you are worried that asbestos could be putting you, your child or your coworkers at risk, ask about the school’s most recent inspections, document any evidence of potential asbestos and report any damage you observe. Contact the EPA if your school doesn’t respond to your concerns.
Steps To Take
- Ask for the AHERA Management Plan: Every covered school must maintain one, and the school provides it to parents, teachers and employees.
- Ask for inspection information: Request information about the most recent inspection and any findings from the three-year reinspection cycle.
- Document: Keep evidence of everything you find concerning, including dates, photos, names and written communications.
- File a report: Report visible damage or debris (crumbling tiles, damaged pipe insulation, renovation dust) to the district’s designated asbestos contact.
- Seek additional help: Contact your state education department, state environmental agency or regional EPA office if the school does not respond.
If the school was constructed before the 1980s, verify the presence of asbestos through the official management plan and inspection records. Document any information or records on your school’s asbestos history, file a report with the school and seek additional help from the EPA.
Your Legal Options After a School-Related Diagnosis
If doctors diagnosed you or a loved one with mesothelioma and you spent time in school buildings, you may have legal rights. A diagnosis, not just exposure or worry, might support a lawsuit. Claims are typically filed against companies that made or sold asbestos-containing products or through asbestos trust funds.
Who May Have a Claim
- Custodial, maintenance or construction workers who disturbed ACMs
- Family members with take-home exposure
- Former students exposed during their school years
- Teachers and school staff exposed on the job
Compensation may help cover medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering and wrongful death losses. The length of time you have to file a lawsuit usually varies by state, so speak with an experienced mesothelioma attorney promptly.
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Why Nemeroff Law Firm
Asbestos cases involving schools and building exposure often present complex challenges. Nemeroff Law has the experience to investigate product history, where exposure happened and responsible manufacturers.
Notable Cases:
- $65.6 million: Falloon v. Westinghouse Electric Corp. (New York)
- $55.5 million: Hernandez v. Kelly Moore Paint Company (Texas)
- $17.4 million: 2025 secondary/take-home asbestos exposure case
- $12 million: Schulte v. Crown Cork & Seal (Louisiana)
We represent clients nationwide, with strong verdict histories in Louisiana, Pennsylvania and Texas. Our attorneys travel to meet clients and prepare every case as if it will go to trial.
Explore your legal options now with a free case review
Frequently Asked Questions
Chrysotile, also called white asbestos, is the most common type found in schools. Schools may contain other types of asbestos as well. All variations can be hazardous when fibers are released and inhaled.
A single brief exposure is usually lower risk than repeated or long-term exposure. However, there is no completely safe level of asbestos exposure. Risk builds with dose and duration, so you should document any known exposure.
Request your school’s AHERA management plan to know if there is asbestos present in the building. The plan shows where asbestos-containing materials are located and how they are managed. Pre-1980s buildings are more likely to contain asbestos unless records confirm otherwise.
Yes. The law allows schools to have asbestos if they properly manage it under AHERA. Safe management, not automatic removal, is required.
You might be able to file a lawsuit if you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease linked to school exposure. People usually file claims against product manufacturers or trust funds.
Take-home asbestos exposure occurs when someone brings fibers home on their clothing, hair, shoes or supplies. Family members, including spouses and children, have developed mesothelioma from this type of exposure.
An asbestos-related diagnosis like mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis usually takes anywhere from 10 to 50 years to develop.
Schools are responsible for complying with AHERA and managing asbestos safely. However, legal liability for resulting diseases often falls on the companies that manufactured or sold the asbestos products.
D. Carl Money
D. Carl Money is a mesothelioma trial attorney and retired Army Lt. Col. licensed in TX, NY and the UK.