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"We're confident that this cleanup is going to correct any problem that was there," said James Birnbaum, lawyer for the Diocese of La Crosse.
He said the school was closed last Thursday and Friday, and parish members were told about the problem during a meeting Sunday at the church.
Birnbaum said an asbestos abatement company was hired to do cleanup last week after the possible presence of asbestos fibers was discovered March 17 in a mechanical room in the school's basement during a routine inspection by Midwest Environmental Management Co. of La Crosse.
Midwest, the diocese's consultant for environmental building matters, advised closing the building after finding that an asbestos covering had been removed from a pipe that previously was connected to an abandoned heating system, said Midwest president Rick Strickler.
Some testing of air in the building revealed a high fiber content that could be related to asbestos, Strickler said.
Strickler said he didn't know exactly how the asbestos covering was removed from the pipe but believes a parish volunteer did it during some renovations.
The situation might have gone unnoticed without the routine inspection, which is required by federal law every three years in buildings identified as containing asbestos building materials, he said. Such materials were once common in construction, but dust or particles from them, if in-haled, have since been linked to lung cancer and other diseases.
"I think we caught this early, and that's good for everybody who comes in the building," Strickler said.
The process used to clean the building involves wet cleaning of every surface, including walls and ceilings, and steam-cleaning carpets, Strickler said. During the cleanup, the building is sealed off to contain any airborne asbestos.
Strickler notified state and federal agencies about the cleanup and has been keeping them updated on the process.
Mark Davis, asbestos project coordinator for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Re-sources Bureau of Air Manage-ment, said it appears everyone is doing what's required to solve the problem. He said his office will be following up to insure the matter is resolved.
Dave Schmitt of the asbestos training and certification program of the state's Department of Health and Family Services said his office also plans to monitor the case. Both he and Davis said they don't anticipate imposing fines or taking any legal action against the diocese or the parish at this time.
Fines for violating asbestos removal laws could run several thousand dollars, Davis said.
Birnbaum said the cost of the cleanup has been estimated at $10,000 to $15,000.
Gayda Hollnagel can be reached at (608) 791-8224 or at ghollnagel@lacrossetribune.com.
More information
Asbestos and air pollution regulations can be found at the Department of Natural Resources Web site: www.DNR.wi.gov.
