Asbestos that is contained in a solid substance is harmless. But when it becomes crumbly, airborne and inhaled, it can lodge in body tissues, where it can sometimes cause cancer. Asbestos insulation to protect against fire was required in schools until 1973, when the Environmental Protection Agency banned its use to reduce children's exposure. The 1980s produced two Congressional acts requiring schools to inspect for asbestos hazards and clean them up. Despite the fact that in most schools asbestos levels were extremely low (less than the amount that in 10 years of exposure might cause one additional death in 100,000 over a lifetime -- one-third the risk of being struck by lightning), by 1990 some $6 billion had been spent on asbestos abatement in schools.
Many experts believe that asbestos removal, which increased airborne asbestos, created a far greater hazard to the children, who might have benefited far more had this money been spent on enhancing their education.
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