Asbestos exposure problems can go undetected for decades, but the tiny fibers embedded in the body, most often the lungs, are irritating and can encourage tumors.

Lung cancer and mesothelioma cancer are the two most likely cancers to develop as a result of asbestos exposure.

Construction workers, carpenters, shipyard workers and mechanics are apt to be exposed to asbestos at the workplace.

Anyone who works in a steel mill, paper mill, automotive plant or print shop could be exposed as well.

Before the 1970s, asbestos was used in home and building construction because the fibers are strong and fire resistant.

Vinyl sheet flooring, vinyl floor tiles, ceiling tiles, texture for walls and ceilings, joint compound, oil and coal furnaces and home siding could contain asbestos. Potting soil that contains vermiculite is apt to contain asbestos, too.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral, and asbestos exposure problems are not an issue until the material is disturbed and tiny particles release into the air.

Children Are Most At Risk

An EPA risk assessment study from the early 1980s estimated 1,000 early deaths related to asbestos exposure problems would happen over the next 30 years, and 90 percent would be people exposed as schoolchildren.

A five-year-old child’s lifetime risk of developing mesothelioma is five times greater that that of a 30-year-old adult who has been exposed to asbestos, according to a 2013 study from the U.K.’s Committee on Carcinogenicity.

Asbestos Exposure Problems in Schools

Asbestos exposure problems U.S. school buildings is a real concern as well. Almost half of all schools were built between 1950 and 1969, when asbestos materials were used most often in construction.

Asbestos deteriorates over time, allowing asbestos dust to enter the air and be inhaled. Maintenance work can also disturb asbestos particles. Teachers and students are at risk for asbestos exposure problems such as an increased risk for mesothelioma, lung cancer and other serious lung conditions.

In one recent case, parents and teachers in Huntington Beach, California were in disbelief when they found out contractors had allegedly carelessly removed asbestos materials from many schools in 2014.

The Ocean View School District reportedly seriously violated EPA regulations by not using proper safeguards to prevent asbestos exposure to students and teachers. The district also allegedly failed to warn parents and teachers that the removal was going to take place, which is another EPA violation in and of itself.

Two elementary school classrooms were found to contain asbestos levels that exceeded federal safety standards. The district closed the school while the asbestos problems were being addressed.

Now the district is facing a lawsuit from families of students who hold the district’s elected leaders, other school officials and contractors accountable for failing to protect children from asbestos exposure problems during the removal.