PHILADELPHIA (AP) — On Thursday, federal prosecutors accused Philadelphia’s public school system of neglecting to adequately inspect eight schools for asbestos damage. The district has consented to a deferred resolution of the criminal charges, subject to court supervision of their remediation efforts.
Prosecutors said it was the first time a school district in the U.S. has faced such environmental criminal allegations.
The district faces eight charges of breaching the federal Toxic Substances Control Act by reportedly not conducting inspections in a timely fashion over the last five years.
Officials mentioned that a judge must sanction the deferred prosecution agreement, thus bypassing a grand jury indictment. If the school district adheres to the applicable federal regulations, the charges might eventually be dismissed.
About 300 of the school district’s aging set of 339 buildings contain asbestos, the U.S. attorney’s office said in a release.
Asbestos, a construction material in wide use until the 1980s, has been linked to cancer and lung disease.
Investigators said some asbestos was improperly addressed and that schools have had to close as a result of asbestos problems. Prosecutors said the “longstanding and widespread problem” put students and teachers in danger.
The deferred prosecution agreement says the school system has already improved policies, procedures and compliance regarding asbestos inspections and abatement.
Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. told The Philadelphia Inquirer the deferred prosecution agreement is a sign of the district’s progress in addressing the problem. He noted the district will train workers on asbestos management as part of the deal.
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This story has been corrected to delete a reference to a district paid monitor. The U.S. attorney’s office says that is not a part of the deferred prosecution agreement.
