More than twenty-six years after the asbestos ban, it has been detected in thousands of schools. The teams of the Vert de rage series, broadcast on France 5, have embarked on a huge census of all the schools in France, in order to determine how many are precisely affected. Often met with silence, journalists were still able to obtain information on 15,804 schools. Among them, 5,505 show traces of asbestos.
Asbestos would be responsible for the death of nearly 100,000 people, and would cause more than 150 cancers of the larynx and ovary per year, according to France info, which recalls that the diseases most often occur several decades later. the exhibition.
“Asbestos has been used for everything. It is a good heat and sound insulator, it is very resistant. But as soon as it deteriorates, you can have emissions in the air. Either passively or via a mechanical action, if you tap on it for example,” explains Maxime Misseri, geologist and asbestos specialist.
The last census on this subject dates from 2016, conducted by the National Observatory for the Safety and Accessibility of Educational Establishments (ONS). The Vert de rage series has attempted to update these figures. But the subject is still sensitive. “We got a lot of rejection, got a lot of language. We even learned that some schools had been instructed not to respond to us. While some teachers are overwhelmed by the situation and want to talk about it, ”says Mathilde Cusin, co-director.
Some mayors came back to the France 5 teams to tell them that they “knew there was asbestos and work to do, but they don’t have the budget to do it”, continues the co-director . The concern also comes from the monitoring of materials, to limit degradation.
Between lack of municipal means and general ignorance of the technical subjects around asbestos, it is the State which should take over. And a ministerial note on the strategic orientations for the year 2020-2021 precisely provided for a “digital logbook centralizing all the essential information”. A document that has not yet seen the light of day. “The ministry will work on it with the communities,” promises the side of the ministry of Education, without giving dates.
