Leukemia facts

1. Leukemia is a cancer of the blood cells.
2. While the exact cause(s) of leukemia is not known, risk factors have been identified.
3. Leukemias are grouped by how quickly the disease develops (acute or chronic) as well as by the type of blood cell that is affected (lymphocytes or myelocytes). The four main types of leukemia include acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), acute myelocytic leukemia (AML), and chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML).
4. People with leukemia are at significantly increased risk for developing infections, anemia, and bleeding. Other symptoms and signs include easy bruising, weight loss, night sweats, and unexplained fevers.

Asbestos in Schools

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fiber, once widely used in building materials for its thermal insulating properties and fire resistance. Although the removal of asbestos from school buildings is an option for schools, many schools and local education agencies have chosen to manage some sbestos-containing building material in place.

Intact, undisturbed asbestos-containing materials generally do not pose a health risk. These materials may become hazardous and pose increased risk if they are damaged, are disturbed in some manner, or deteriorate over time and release asbestos fibers into building air.

Asbestos

Asbestos refers to a set of six naturally occurring fibrous minerals. Asbestos has six primary sub-classifications. These are chrysotile, crocidolite, amosite, anthophyllite, tremolite, and actinolite. Among these, chrysotile and amosite asbestos are the most common.

Asbestos fibers are microscopic but extremely durable and resistant to fire and most chemical reaction and breakdown. For this reason, asbestos was used for many years in a number of different commercial and industrial capacities. Because of its strength and resistance to heat, asbestos was used in roofing shingles, floor tiles, ceiling materials, cement compounds, textile products, and automotive parts. Asbestos is now strictly regulated as asbestos exposure is now associated with a number of lung and respiratory health conditions.