Schools in Philadelphia postponed necessary asbestos inspections and intentionally neglected repairs, alleges Justice Department agreement.
The School District of Philadelphia has reached compliance with the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) as outlined in the agreement signed with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in June 2025. This significant milestone follows findings that the district had previously violated federal asbestos laws by delaying inspections and failing to remediate damaged asbestos-containing materials on time.
Key points about the district's current status include:
* The district has committed to rigorous asbestos monitoring and remediation, agreeing to report its compliance progress to a federal court over the next five years. * The DOJ has recognised that the district has made significant improvements, such as hiring more environmental staff, tripling its environmental management budget, updating tracking software, and sharing asbestos inspection reports publicly. * The district has entered into a $24.2 million contract with a consulting firm to increase inspection capacity, working towards full compliance with AHERA's inspection schedule (inspections every three years with surveillance every six months). * Superintendent Tony Watlington has confirmed that the district is current on all federally required asbestos inspections. * If the district maintains compliance for five years under court supervision, the DOJ will drop the deferred criminal charges.
Despite past failures that included late inspections, asbestos found in ductwork, and closures at 31 schools due to asbestos issues, the agreement marks a turning point aiming to ensure a safer environment for students and staff through rigorous federal oversight and improved asbestos management.
In summary, the School District of Philadelphia is currently meeting the terms of the DOJ agreement and federal asbestos law, with ongoing court-monitored remediation efforts designed to hold the district accountable and ultimately clear it of criminal charges upon sustained compliance. The district can request that the charges be dropped after just three years if it is in full compliance and has been for at least the past six months.
- The School District of Philadelphia, having made significant improvements in asbestos management, now focuses on health-and-wellness by ensuring a safer environment for students and staff through rigorous federal oversight in environmental-science.
- The commitment to education-and-self-development is also apparent as the district diligently works towards addressing medical-conditions such as asbestos-related illnesses by adhering to the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) and undergoing required inspections to maintain compliance.
