Possible asbestos exposure at Edmonton school: What you need to know

Edmonton Public Schools is expected to hold a news conference on Friday afternoon after it was revealed that students may have been exposed to asbestos during construction work at a southside school earlier this year.

Edmonton Public Schools is expected to hold a news conference on Friday afternoon after it was revealed that students may have been exposed to asbestos during construction work at a southside school earlier this year.

According to a letter from superintendent Darrel Robertson sent home to parents on Thursday, the exposure happened at Greenfield School in May and June.

Testing found there were low levels (one to five per cent) of asbestos in drywall compound on drywall that was cut and removed from several classrooms after flood damage from a burst pipe.

Asbestos is safe if undisturbed, but if disturbed during construction or remediation, the particles can be inhaled into the lungs.

As a result, there are strict protocols for dealing with asbestos removal.

According to the World Health Organization, the mineral is linked to a number of cancers, including lung cancer, mesothelioma, cancer of the larynx and ovary, and asbestosis (fibrosis of the lungs.)

"While the majority of our procedures were followed, the negative air pressure and containment we require in construction projects where asbestos-containing materials are present did not meet the division's standards," Robertson wrote.