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Annual Asbestos Letter

September 11, 2023.

Dear Parents, Guardians, Faculty and Staff,

In the past, asbestos was used extensively in building materials because of its insulating, sound absorbing and fire-retarding capabilities. Virtually any building constructed before the late 1970’s had some asbestos.  Hawaii Baptist Academy in accordance with the EPA’s asbestos program for schools, mandated by the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), and its regulations for schools and other buildings is founded on the principle of following the AHERA Program.

Hawaii Baptist Academy will let you know about any asbestos-related activity which has taken place during the prior year and inform you that our Asbestos Management Plans are available for your review.  I am pleased to report that there were no asbestos fiber release episodes during the past year at HBA and we have made periodic inspections where Asbestos Containing Building Materials (ACBM) remain by EPA regulations.

To summarize all of our facilities, have only a minimal amount of asbestos present and they are checked regularly to ensure the safety and health of the school environment. The asbestos which does remain mostly category two, non-friable floor tiles, that are not considered a friable-hazardous material when not disturbed and they are better left in place and inspected periodically.

If you wish to review the Asbestos Management Plan for our respective campuses, they are available at the Physical Plant Office located near our high school campus. You may obtain a copy at the cost of reproduction. We have elected to place an annual notification on our website so that it will be visible and easier to access for all.

If damage of friable ACBM does occur, we will update you via our website www.hba.net and explain the procedures taken to ensure the integrity of the school’s environment. The safety and health of our students, faculty and staff are of utmost importance and we, therefore, will go beyond the minimum EPA requirements to ensure that our facilities are properly maintained for the benefit of our HBA family and our environment.

Should you have any questions you may contact Mr. Glenn Bento, Facilities Director at gbento@hba.net.

Sincerely,

Ron Shiira ‘75
President