LEBANON — An art classroom at Lebanon High School will remain sealed until further notice after testing results confirmed Wednesday that asbestos had been exposed there over the weekend, according to a message from Principal Ian Smith.
On Tuesday, a custodian at the school found that patches of glue on a classroom wall had been disturbed over the weekend and determined the glue may contain asbestos.
The glue had been holding a chalkboard on the wall and posed no threat until a teacher removed the board. The removal agitated the material, releasing the carcinogen into the air.
The discovery prompted the district to close and seal off the classroom.
An outside expert sampled the material and sent it off to a Massachusetts lab for testing.
Test results, which came back Wednesday, showed that the material did contain asbestos. However, a separate air quality test conducted on Wednesday morning found that the room still had healthy air quality levels under Environmental Protection Agency standards.
Asbestos exposure can cause cancer and other diseases, typically through the fibers being breathed in over many years, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
The district’s asbestos management plan, required by federal law, dictates that the art classroom remain sealed for cleaning and abatement until further notice.
District staff regularly inspect areas that may contain asbestos for disturbances and conduct abatement works, Communications Director Jack Rooney said Tuesday. A district-wide asbestos evaluation is conducted every three years.