Feb 16, 2010 - Asbestos Discovered In New York Dormitories
Over the winter break, engineers specializing in hazardous substances, discovered asbestos in the ceiling tiles of the Bundy Residence Halls at Hamilton University in New York. Although air quality tests came back negative, it is recommended that removal of the asbestos tiles in at least eleven locations occur over Spring Break.
Bundy Halls were constructed in 1970, a time when asbestos was commonly used in many building products as an insulation and fire retardant. Not long after this time, the link between exposure to asbestos and mesothelioma as well as other serious illness was clearly established. By the mid- 1980’s, asbestos use became highly regulated and in many instances was banned in the United States.
In many instances where asbestos is found in buildings built before the 1980’s, the recommendation is to leave it alone as long as the materials are intact and in good condition and have no chance of being disturbed or damaged.
It is only when asbestos fibers become airborne that they can be inhaled or ingested. Once in the body, two to five decades later, diseases such as mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer develop. Mesothelioma is a fatal cancer with very little effective treatments, poor prognosis and short survival time. The only real protection against mesothelioma is complete avoidance of contact with asbestos.
Residents at Bundy Hall are being advised to leave the ceilings untouched until removal can be done safely and by trained asbestos abatement professionals. Such removal is planned over spring break, when exposure to students would be even further decreased. Also, such asbestos removal will require evacuation of the rooms identified as posing a risk, and this is more easily done over holidays where students are not around.
For anyone concerned and wanting more information, please contact Steve Ballona, vice president for facilities, at sbellona@hamilton.edu.
For more information about exposure to asbestos and mesothelioma, please visit Helping Mesothelioma Patients or call 1-800-440-4262.
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