Asbestos is lying dormant in more than 500 government schools and preschools across South Australia, new data shows, as parliament considers a push to remove the deadly building material from classrooms within 10 years.

Figures released to SA-BEST MLC Connie Bonaros under Freedom of Information revealed the names of the school and preschool sites on the asbestos register.

Ms Bonaros on Wednesday introduced legislation that called on the state government to develop and execute a plan to eradicate asbestos from the land, buildings and facilities of the schools and preschools within the next 10 years.

Under her proposal, Education Minister Blair Boyer would be required to provide annual progress reports to parliament.

A similar scheme has already been developed and implemented in Queensland.

Ms Bonaros said it was imperative that the government established a clear and actionable plan to tackle asbestos legacy issues in schools.

“We must move beyond merely managing or mitigating risks,” she said.

“Safe enough is not good enough. The deadly consequences of asbestos exposure are well-documented – it’s simply not worth the risk….

Extract from Story in Adelaide Advertiser