Asbestos Information

To all St. Joseph Public School Staff, Students, Parents, Tenants and Visitors: On October 1986, President Reagan signed into law the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA). As prescribed by this Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issues the Asbestos Containing Materials in Schools: Final Rule and Notice on October 20, 1987. This Rule required that all K-12 Public School develop a comprehensive approach to identifying asbestos containing building materials, commonly referred to as "ACBM", located within school buildings. School districts were also required to develop their original Inspection & Management Plan for dealing with the identified ACBM. The St. Joseph Public Schools retained Villa Environmental Consultants, Inc., to conduct a thorough inspection for and testing of all building materials suspected of possibly containing asbestos. This firm also prepared the Management Plan and the most recent 3-year Re-inspection Report in June 2007 for all District owned buildings. EPA certified individuals as required by AHERA completed both the inspection ad the Management Plan and all Re-inspection Reports. The Management Plan and all Re-inspection Reports for the District are available for inspection at the Business Office, 3275 Lincoln Avenue, St. Joseph, Michigan. Copies of sections of the Management Plan and all Re-inspection Reports that deal with individual buildings are available for viewing in the Principal's office of that building. Individuals who wish to review the Management Plan and Re-inspection Reports may do so at any time during normal office hours. Asbestos containing building materials within the St. Joseph Public School buildings have been identified as follows:

  • High School - Tunnel area pipe insulation, roof drain fittings, floor tile
  • Middle School - Floor tile, fire doors
  • Brown Elementary School - Transit board in faculty bathroom, floor tile, fire doors
  • E.P. Clarke Elementary School - Floor tile, fire doors
  • Lincoln Elementary School - Fire doors, pipe fittings, pipe wrap under fiberglass insulation, pipe insulation under ceilings
  • Dickinson Stadium - STADIUM HAS BEEN DEMOLISHED
  • Bus Garage - Fire door
  • Vehicle Storage Building - No asbestos detected

The Management Plan and Re-inspection Report recommends appropriate response action.

Further information regarding the Management Plan and the Re-inspection Reports can be secured from:

Brenda Graham, Chief Financial Officer
St. Joseph Public Schools
2580 S. Cleveland Ave.
St. Joseph, MI 49085

During the past several years, the District has spent several hundred thousand dollars to remove known asbestos containing building materials located in ceilings and around heating systems. It is our intent to continue to remove ACBM as necessary and to maintain all existing ACBM in the safest possible condition to avoid risk of exposure by students, staff and others who might enter our buildings.