Test shows no asbestos

By carolyn o’connell
Staff Writer

OCEAN TOWNSHIP — The men in white suits were the most obvious sign that a possibly hazardous situation at the Ocean Township Elementary School was being tended to.

Schools Superintendent Thomas Pagano acknowledged that there had been some asbestos found during construction work at the Ocean Township Elementary School over the summer; however, it had been removed prior to the first day of school on Wednesday and testing showed no problems.

According to Pagano, in replacing some of the windows in the elementary school on Dow Avenue, asbestos fibers were found on the outside caulking of the windows.

U.S. Environmental, Trenton, was hired to remove the asbestos, while Whitman Cos. Inc., East Brunswick, was on board to monitor the air quality inside and outside the school.

"All test levels came back normal," said Business Administrator Kenneth Jannarone.

Final reports of the air quality tests should be available to the public at the board office by the end of the week.

According to Jannarone, removing asbestos is systematic, occurring every year. "Any building built before the 1970s will have asbestos," said Jannarone. "As long as the asbestos is encapsulated it’s not a problem."

Because asbestos is a constant in most older buildings, the state has enacted a management plan for every state school district, which requires testing every six months to identify if any asbestos has been disturbed, according to Jannarone.