An unknown vandal who broke into a vacant school building has unwittingly exposed themselves to asbestos. Following a long weekend, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were called to the Vacant Rockland School in Campbell River, British Columbia. The police found that at least one vandal had broken into the school and vandalized the site. However, these vandals likely exposed themselves to asbestos during the incident. The old Rockland School has been vacant for approximately a year. The school is presently undergoing demolition and reconstruction, and this work exposed asbestos and other hazardous materials at the site.

Police are asking the public to bear the risks of asbestos exposure they face if they enter the site unauthorized. Asbestos exposure is conclusively linked to the development of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer. Mesothelioma affects less than 3,000 Americans each year, and while there are palliative treatment methods available, including chemo and radiation therapy, there is no known cure.

The disease typically lies dormant for up to fifty years before an individual begins to suffer from mesothelioma symptoms, and the majority of patients lose their battle with this cancer in less than two years.

The culprits hurled heavy objects through walls, and then fled the scene, according to police Corporal Brian Brown. It is believed to be very likely that the vandals were exposed to asbestos during the short period of time they were in the vacant building. No suspects have been announced.

In Jackson, Mississippi, a lawsuit opened in 2007 has finally been brought to a close. The Jefferson Davis County School District has been ordered to repay over $1 million in sixteenth section land funds that were misused by the district. The lawsuit, filed by the State Auditor in Hinds County Chancery Court in 2007, will ensure that funds in the amounts of $906,885.69 and $500,000 are returned. Part of this money was allotted for asbestos work, but was never used for that purpose.

“Our attorney and special agents working this case determined that $153,114.31 of the over $1 million transferred from the sixteenth section funds in 2004 were allowable expenses leaving the remaining $906,885.69 as an unallowable expense under State Law,” said State Auditor Stacey Pickering. “In addition, we concluded that the $500,000 transferred for the removal of asbestos in 2005 must also be repaid since the school did not spend money for any removal. The State Auditor’s Office issued demands against Jefferson Davis County school board members for these funds in 2007, and I am pleased to finally resolve this case on behalf of the taxpayers of Mississippi.” Asbestos removal is undertaken to protect people from exposure to asbestos fibers. Exposure to asbestos is linked to mesothelioma, a rare cancer that affects only a few thousand people each year. The cancer can lie dormant for decades before symptoms develop.

To date, the district has repaid $781,472. The remaining balance of $625,413.69 is due to the 16th section land account today, October 15^th.

Des Moines County supervisors have announced that it will cost roughly $30,000 each to raze and remove the flood-damaged cabins on Otter Island near Burlington, Iowa. The supervisors awarded a contract totaling $119,999 to First Construction to demolish the four cabins on the Mississippi River Island. "First Construction was the most responsive bidder and the lowest bidder," said Land Use Administrator Jeff Hanan, who serves as project manager for the demolition program. Other reported bids included one from Kent DaVolt of Keokuk, who bid $134,000, as well as a bid from T&T Technologies Inc. of West Burlington in the amount of $136,918.

First Construction will be responsible for demolishing the cabins, hauling away tons of debris, and then covering the sites with clean dirt. The razing of the buildings will commence next month, and is being financed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Based on FEMA requirements, debris from demolished structures must be treated as if it contains asbestos. Asbestos is dangerous if inhaled, and can cause asbestosis or mesothelioma, a rare but aggressive cancer. This cancer can rapidly move throughout the body, but often originates in the lining of the lungs, heart, or abdomen. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgical intervention, and even some prescription drugs may be recommended by the doctor, but the exact course of treatment will depend on how far the cancer has advanced. The cancer can kill in as little as a few months after being diagnosed.

In order to comply with FEMA regulations, all the debris from the site must be shrink-wrapped together prior to transportation to the regional landfill outside West Burlington.