Cancer at MCPS schools

[Anonymous]

My grandmothers were cancer-free their entire lives... my maternal grandmother passed away in her late 80's and my paternal grandmother almost lived to 100.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My grandmothers were cancer-free their entire lives... my maternal grandmother passed away in her late 80's and my paternal grandmother almost lived to 100.

And what does that have to do with OP's question?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Older MCPS buildings have asbestos. At our W elementary, there once was a pipe leak that caused mold after a snow storm. Staff and children were in the building while custodians cleaned up the moldy asbestos ceiling tiles by hand with no protective gear.

It would be in the public interest to keep data of cases of cancer for MCPS staff and students.

I’d be most concerned about the staff who did the clean up in that case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Older MCPS buildings have asbestos. At our W elementary, there once was a pipe leak that caused mold after a snow storm. Staff and children were in the building while custodians cleaned up the moldy asbestos ceiling tiles by hand with no protective gear.

It would be in the public interest to keep data of cases of cancer for MCPS staff and students.

I’d be most concerned about the staff who did the clean up in that case.

The school was Beverly Farms if anyone needs to know. There were other instances of bats in the ceiling that caused chunks of ceiling tiles to fall in the upstairs classrooms. A staff member had a broken chunk tested which tested positive for asbestos.

The old school with these problems was torn down years ago so these are not current problems. However, cancer from exposure may take decades to develop in school staff and students. Mezothelioma would be the cancer caused by asbestos. MCPS never notified staff and students of their exposure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Older MCPS buildings have asbestos. At our W elementary, there once was a pipe leak that caused mold after a snow storm. Staff and children were in the building while custodians cleaned up the moldy asbestos ceiling tiles by hand with no protective gear.

It would be in the public interest to keep data of cases of cancer for MCPS staff and students.

I’d be most concerned about the staff who did the clean up in that case.

The school was Beverly Farms if anyone needs to know. There were other instances of bats in the ceiling that caused chunks of ceiling tiles to fall in the upstairs classrooms. A staff member had a broken chunk tested which tested positive for asbestos.

The old school with these problems was torn down years ago so these are not current problems. However, cancer from exposure may take decades to develop in school staff and students. Mezothelioma would be the cancer caused by asbestos. MCPS never notified staff and students of their exposure.

That’s sensible, given there’s minimal risk from a single exposure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Older MCPS buildings have asbestos. At our W elementary, there once was a pipe leak that caused mold after a snow storm. Staff and children were in the building while custodians cleaned up the moldy asbestos ceiling tiles by hand with no protective gear.

It would be in the public interest to keep data of cases of cancer for MCPS staff and students.

I’d be most concerned about the staff who did the clean up in that case.

The school was Beverly Farms if anyone needs to know. There were other instances of bats in the ceiling that caused chunks of ceiling tiles to fall in the upstairs classrooms. A staff member had a broken chunk tested which tested positive for asbestos.

The old school with these problems was torn down years ago so these are not current problems. However, cancer from exposure may take decades to develop in school staff and students. Mezothelioma would be the cancer caused by asbestos. MCPS never notified staff and students of their exposure.

That’s sensible, given there’s minimal risk from a single exposure.

False. You don't know how much exposure these kids have. Don't forget that the younger you are exposed, the more risk you have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Older MCPS buildings have asbestos. At our W elementary, there once was a pipe leak that caused mold after a snow storm. Staff and children were in the building while custodians cleaned up the moldy asbestos ceiling tiles by hand with no protective gear.

It would be in the public interest to keep data of cases of cancer for MCPS staff and students.

I’d be most concerned about the staff who did the clean up in that case.

The school was Beverly Farms if anyone needs to know. There were other instances of bats in the ceiling that caused chunks of ceiling tiles to fall in the upstairs classrooms. A staff member had a broken chunk tested which tested positive for asbestos.

The old school with these problems was torn down years ago so these are not current problems. However, cancer from exposure may take decades to develop in school staff and students. Mezothelioma would be the cancer caused by asbestos. MCPS never notified staff and students of their exposure.

That’s sensible, given there’s minimal risk from a single exposure.

False. You don't know how much exposure these kids have. Don't forget that the younger you are exposed, the more risk you have.

You were referring to a single incident, which would be a single exposure. That’s minimal risk.

[Anonymous]

That many instances of cancer has to have a source.

Radon (naturally occurring), Asbestos (before June '89), and Lead (before '86) are three common carcinogens / toxins in the area. All three can be tested for in a classroom.

Lead and radon you can easily test for yourself. Asbestos testing would require a sample of the ceiling tile or pipe wrapping that's coming loose, disintegrating.

Although Lead does not necessarily cause cancer, other chemicals in the water can, so I would test for other contaminants at the same time. For example, I did notice that MCPS uses chemical-based pesticides. Most pesticides are known carcinogens.

[Anonymous]

Also, I don't know if what the post said about cleaning asbestos tiles by hand without masks was true, but if it was, the MCPS administration would face fines and/or five years criminal penalty. https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/criminal-provisions-clean-air-act And that's for each offense, btw.

[Anonymous]

That raises a good question. Have all MCPS schools been swept for lead/asbestos/radon/pesticides, etc.? There are a lot of older buildings in MCPS that haven't been renovated since the 80's. If the CO is sweeping it under the rug or deliberately delayed those renovations (ex. Wootton, constructed in 1970 but I don't believe it's been renovated since then?), I would think that's a criminal investigation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That raises a good question. Have all MCPS schools been swept for lead/asbestos/radon/pesticides, etc.? There are a lot of older buildings in MCPS that haven't been renovated since the 80's. If the CO is sweeping it under the rug or deliberately delayed those renovations (ex. Wootton, constructed in 1970 but I don't believe it's been renovated since then?), I would think that's a criminal investigation?

It would be in the public interest to test for these things in school buildings and contaminates such as arsenic on playgrounds.

Asbestos is tricky because people breathe in the dust fibers when disturbed. The dust lingers in the environment if not cleaned up properly. Staff members in an old facility can have years of exposure.

[Anonymous]

FYI - MCPS collects data for schools that are known to have asbestos.

https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/contentassets/260ba97717f14e04b70d965b3c2fa9aa/annual-asbestos-notification.pdf

[Anonymous]

You can ask for the inspection records but it doesn’t mean MCPS will be compliant:

https://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/AVXLYP58DD54/$file/Stacey%20Shenker.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That raises a good question. Have all MCPS schools been swept for lead/asbestos/radon/pesticides, etc.? There are a lot of older buildings in MCPS that haven't been renovated since the 80's. If the CO is sweeping it under the rug or deliberately delayed those renovations (ex. Wootton, constructed in 1970 but I don't believe it's been renovated since then?), I would think that's a criminal investigation?

It would be in the public interest to test for these things in school buildings and contaminates such as arsenic on playgrounds.

Asbestos is tricky because people breathe in the dust fibers when disturbed. The dust lingers in the environment if not cleaned up properly. Staff members in an old facility can have years of exposure.

Right outside my classroom there is a sign on the ceiling that says “asbestos, do not disturb tiles”. One of the tiles is practically hanging from the ceiling!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That raises a good question. Have all MCPS schools been swept for lead/asbestos/radon/pesticides, etc.? There are a lot of older buildings in MCPS that haven't been renovated since the 80's. If the CO is sweeping it under the rug or deliberately delayed those renovations (ex. Wootton, constructed in 1970 but I don't believe it's been renovated since then?), I would think that's a criminal investigation?

It would be in the public interest to test for these things in school buildings and contaminates such as arsenic on playgrounds.

Asbestos is tricky because people breathe in the dust fibers when disturbed. The dust lingers in the environment if not cleaned up properly. Staff members in an old facility can have years of exposure.

Right outside my classroom there is a sign on the ceiling that says “asbestos, do not disturb tiles”. One of the tiles is practically hanging from the ceiling!

If it’s crumbling then asbestos is in the air. What is the protocol for reporting this problem in your building? There should be a plan on how to report and respond for the protection of staff and students.