It's in both classrooms and residence halls and it's here to stay.
Eric Ram, head of the Asbestos Management Program on campus, said more than 60 classrooms and residence halls built before 1981 have been found to contain some amount of asbestos.
Asbestos is a fireproof insulating material used primarily in the United States in the 1970s. The Supreme Court banned the manufacturing of asbestos in building products in the late 1980s after it was found to increase the risk of lung cancer.
Floor coverings, installation and roofing are areas that commonly house asbestos, Ram said.
Ceiling asbestos has a bumpy texture and resembles popcorn. It can fry hands if touched, he added.
According to Ram, the only remedy for asbestos is abatement -- the removal, repair or enclosure of asbestos.
After assessing an area and deciding on the course of action, the affected area is closed off and the asbestos is removed.
It is an ongoing process, with more than 100 procedures performed on campus by Capitol Programs each year.
One abatement project is taking place in the Psychology Building, Ram said. It should last approximately one week.
Several residence halls on campus also have asbestos in their floors and ceilings that has not been removed.
Ram said each new resident is informed of the asbestos and its possible health effects in a pamphlet.
According to the pamphlet, asbestos can be found in the ceilings on all floors of Ocotillo Hall and the first floor lobby of Best Hall C.
The pamphlet states that unless the asbestos is disturbed, it does not pose any harmful health effects.
A spokesperson from Residential Life could not be reached for comment.
Nursing freshman Kim Meehan thinks more steps are needed to better inform students of the asbestos and its possible health hazards.
"It was only mentioned once, and it wasn't really made out to be that big of a deal," she said.
According to the Residential Life pamphlet, if the seal is broken by water damage or extreme impact, the residence hall front desk should be contacted immediately, and the appropriate measures will be taken to repair the problem. Asbestos is removed only if it is damaged.
Megan Pappas, a pre-business freshman and a resident of Mariposa Hall, doesn't think the presence of asbestos has an impact on students' decision to live in the residence halls.
Rather, she believes it is important for students to be informed of their living conditions.
"Floor meetings would be a good place to discuss the issue," she said. "They could even pass out the pamphlets there. Even if people didn't read them, at least they would have been passed out and made available."
Reach the reporter at kristi.eaton@asu.edu.
