The red tape could be a cause for concern

By: Madison Winters

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y.— When walking past the Moffitt Residence Hall construction site, it's hard to miss the bright red caution tape that reads “Danger Asbestos”. Plattsburgh State students aren't strangers to construction on campus but unlike the Hawkin’s pond renovation, could this project have potentially harmful effects on students?

When asked if moffitt residence hall contains asbestos, Steve Matthews director of housing for Plattsburgh State said, “It's in the ceilings; it's in the adhesive for floor tile, the adhesive for dry wall.”

“There's asbestos in almost every building built before the year 2000” Matthews said, “Your home is probably filled with asbestos”

How does exposure affect your health?

After speaking to the Clinton County Department of Health, Sr. Public Health Samaritan Judy Ross provided information about asbestos exposure directly from the New York State Asbestos Control Bureau.

According to the New York State Asbestos Control Bureau, asbestos, in its several varieties, is a naturally occurring mineral, formed of very strong fibers that are both heat and corrosion resistant. Because individual asbestos fibers are so small and light, they cannot be seen with the naked eye and can easily become airborne.

According to The Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry, Significant exposure to any type of asbestos will increase the risk of lung cancer, mesothelioma, nonmalignant lung and pleural disorders, including asbestosis, pleural plaques, pleural thickening, and pleural effusions.

              Dr. David Sugarbaker, mesothelioma specialist, world-renowned doctor and certified thoracic surgeon, says long terms survival with this cancer is possible.

“With help from new technology, we're making vast improvements but at the end of the day it's still a struggle.”

With serious side effect such as cancer, how would students feel about being exposed to this dangerous substance?

“It makes me very upset” Diana Moore said. The sophomore, and former biology student, has learned a lot about the toxic substance, “With Asbestos, once you breath it in it sticks to your lungs,” Moore said. “After being exposed for extended periods of time you can develop cancer”

Moore lived in Whiteface Hall last year but spent most of her time with friends that lived in Moffitt Hall. She said that after seeing the red tape she “definitely didn't feel very safe”

“It's definitely a little worrisome” Sabrina Santos said when asked how she felt after seeing the caution tape outside of the building that she lived in last year.

Santos, a sophomore biology student, didn't understand why students weren't informed about the presence of the asbestos in the room where they spend the most time.

Why wasn't something done about this issue sooner?

Matthews said that the campus hired a consultant to “Look at the conditions of our buildings, see what needed to be done and how much it would cost.”

According to Matthews, the list of renovations was scheduled out over a ten year period.

“We're trying to finish one side of the street at a time” Matthews said.

Talking about the safety of students, Matthews explained that asbestos is a naturally occurring substance,

“It's perfectly fine until it's called friable” he said, “which means it's airborne.”

Was the building renovated because of the asbestos?

“During the renovations we're removing all of that material from any place that students would have access to”

Matthews said that the construction crew is working floor by floor.

“Have you seen the plastic?” Matthews said. The plastic coverings are to insure that none of the airborne asbestos is released from the building. After the demolition, the hazardous material is “removed from the building and properly disposed of” Matthews said.

With that said, during the removal process are students passing by the building being exposed to the toxic substance?

“The construction site can't be safe for students to be around” Santos said, “Students are still going to breathe it in.”

Matthew's said that students aren't at risk for exposure because of strict guidelines set in place by the federal government.

“The requirement from the federal government is that you have to have a 25 foot radius around the spot” Matthews said, “To let people know that asbestos is being removed”

Even after learning about the safety precautions that PSUC and the construction crew are making,

Santos said, “Still, a warning or heads up would have been nice,”

Matthews said that PSUC pays a separate company to “Sit on the construction site with a monitor,”

“They test just to be sure that absolutely none of it getting out of the containment area,” He said.

Matthews reiterated how important student safety really is very to PSUC.

“It's not flying around in the air, for you to breathe in, at all” Matthews said.

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