"WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency is shifting money away from a congressionally mandated program meant to get harmful asbestos out of schools, even though the threat of contamination remains, the agency’s internal watchdog said on Monday.

Asbestos, which builders used for decades as insulation and as a fire-resistant material, can cause lung diseases, cancer and other health problems. Under a 1986 federal act, the EPA remains responsible for monitoring whether local officials are checking for asbestos in schools and cleaning it up, the agency’s Office of the Inspector General said.

The watchdog office is an independently funded operation within EPA.

The inspector general’s report says half the EPA’s regional districts only check for asbestos in a school if they receive a specific complaint."

The Associated Press had the story September 17, 2018. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"EPA Needs to Re-Evaluate Its Compliance Monitoring Priorities for Minimizing Asbestos Risks in Schools" (EPA OIG) [3]