The recreation center in Violetville Elementary School was shut down Tuesday after workers discovered asbestos floor tiles in the 3,300 square-foot area near the school's cafeteria.

The center was sealed off after the discovery of the asbestos tiles and it will remain closed until the tiles are replaced and other maintenance work is done, said Kurt Kocher, spokesman for the city's Department of Public Works.

The school remains open and the tiles did not pose a health risk, Kocher said.

Asbestos was widely used as a fireproofing agent in building insulation and other products until it was linked to respiratory diseases. The inhalation of tiny asbestos fibers causes lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma. But asbestos poses a health risk only when its fibers are released into the air.

Kocher said the tiles were old and "cracked" -- not crushed to the point where fibers could be inhaled by someone. The city made replacement a priority before they could create a problem, he said.

"A lot of old homes and buildings have asbestos in them," Kocher said. "It's when they essentially get in a pulverized, almost powder form, that's when they are dangerous. But we don't believe there was any kind of trouble along those lines."

There are 35 children enrolled in the after-school program at the center, which is also used for activities, said Kia McLeod, director of marketing and media relations at the Department of Recreation and Parks, which operates the center.