EHS Asbestos Management
Asbestos management
For detailed information, please review the ASU asbestos management program. The Residential Hall Asbestos Information Guidance document includes information about the potential for asbestos in residence halls. If you have any questions or need assistance, please email EHS.
About asbestos
- Is a general term referring to six naturally occurring fibrous,, silicate minerals.
- Was used because of its high tensile strength, flexibility and resistance to heat and corrosive chemicals.
- Was used largely in manufacturing and building insulation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Asbestos at ASU
Where is asbestos at ASU? ASU asbestos policy is “management in place,” meaning that asbestos is removed only when necessary, such as when buildings are renovated or damaged. Many of ASU’s buildings constructed before 1985 contain asbestos in floor tiles, pipe insulation, roofing and ceiling textures.
View the LA Herald Examiner Building Annual Asbestos Notice — Connelly Act.
Risks associated with asbestos
- Asbestos becomes a health risk when the materials are disturbed and microscopic asbestos fibers become airborne and are inhaled. When left alone and remain undamaged, the materials present little to no health risk.
- Asbestos has no smell or taste and asbestos fibers are so small that they may not be visible to the naked eye.
- Asbestos is a known carcinogen, or cancer-causing agent.
- Inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause serious illnesses, including mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer, and asbestosis, a progressive disease of the lungs caused by heavy exposure to asbestos.
- The danger of asbestos exposure can occur when asbestos fibers are released into the air. The fibers can be inhaled or swallowed. The fibers can lodge in the lung or other body tissues and over time lead to the development of diseases.
- The symptoms of diseases associated with asbestos can take 30 to 40 years to appear.