Syndication: Detroit Free Press
School Asbestos Inspections Lagging
(New York, NY) – An audit from the New York City Comptroller’s office shows hundreds of public schools have neglected to conduct asbestos inspections as required by federal law. Comptroller Brad Lander says federal law requires schools be inspected for asbestos containing material every three years, but a report from his office shows between 2021 and 2024 only 257 schools had been checked. He says even though the Department of Education blames its lack of compliance on insufficient consulting contracts, it’s a systemic issue that’s been going on for decades. The DOE would need to conduct six times as many annual inspections as they are currently doing in order to come into compliance with federal law.
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