Philadelphia’s schools accused of failing to properly inspect asbestos in buildings

Philadelphia – Federal prosecutors charged Philadelphia public schools on Thursday not to properly inspect eight schools for damaged asbestos. The district accepted that the criminal affair is deferred as it pays for an instructor supervised by the court to keep an eye on her response.

Prosecutors said it was the first time that a school district in the United States has faced such environmental criminal allegations.

The district is accused of eight charges of violation of the federal law on the control of toxic substances for having pretended to fail to perform applestly inspections during a recent five -year period.

The authorities said that a judge must approve the terms of the delayed prosecution agreement, which avoids an indictment of the Grand Jury. If the school district complies with the relevant federal law, the government may possibly abandon the accusations.

About 300 of 339 buildings in the school district contain asbestos, the American lawyer’s office said in a statement.

Asbestos, a large -use building material until the 1980s, was linked to cancer and pulmonary diseases.

Investigators said that some asbestos had been ill -treated and that schools had to close as a asbestos problems. The prosecutors said that the “long -standing and widespread problem” had put students and teachers in danger.

The delayed prosecution agreement indicates that the school system has already improved policies, procedures and compliance concerning inspections and the reduction of asbestos.

Superintendent Tony B. Watlington, Sr. He noted that the district will form the workers in asbestos management in the context of the agreement.