Louisiana Students Concerned Over Asbestos

Article Added April 30th, 2007 - Print This Story - Bookmark This Story

Students at a Louisiana college are saying that they were lied to over the presence of asbestos in a dorm building. The students had questioned officials about a container marked hazardous, but were told that there was no asbestos present.

Students residing in the Mary Markley Residence hall were alarmed when they saw a renovation bin outside their building marked “asbestos.” School officials were questioned, and they replied that there was no asbestos present in the building. But after more students began to raise protests, an email went out to students saying that there were low levels of asbestos in the dorm, but that it posed no threat to the students. Renovations will begin in the summer for standard repairs, and the asbestos will be removed at that time.

            School officials maintain that the asbestos poses no danger, as it is confined to ceiling tiles, which have not been disturbed. Asbestos is only dangerous when mishandled, when the material breaks into airborne particles that can be breathed in. Emphysema, asbestosis and mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer, all result from asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma, associated specifically with breathing in asbestos particles, can take years to diagnose, and is often times fatal when found.

Article Added April 30th, 2007 - Print This Story - Bookmark This Story