It has been revealed that more than 2,200 New South Wales public schools and TAFE
campuses are riddled with asbestos.
The Daily Telegraph says a $3 million audit has uncovered evidence
of asbestos material in classrooms, childcare facilities, children's toilets,
canteens, ceilings and buried under playgrounds in schools.
An analysis of every asbestos site register by the paper shows
that just 109 of the 2,375 schools and TAFE buildings are completely free of
the potentially deadly fibres - worse than previous estimates.
The NSW government has launched a statewide management plan and program of works to minimise the risk to students, staff,
contractors, parents and other visitors.
The Department of Education and Training says the asbestos
registers will help protect parent and citizen groups on holiday working bees
as well as professional builders and maintenance workers.
'When hammering a nail or screwing something into a wall they will
now be able to know whether the material they are putting it into contains
asbestos and take precautions,' a department spokesman said.
More than 100 schools have material classified by experts as
'medium risk', but Deputy Director-General, Finance and Infrastructure,
Alastair Hunter, said the 'vast majority of materials containing asbestos' are
safe.
'Studies show that if the material is left undisturbed and is in
sound condition it poses no risk to health,' Mr Hunter said.
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