A hot water pipe containing asbestos-filled insulation was removed from the attic directly over the fifth annex in Le Mans Hall during winter break.

The asbestos was discovered when repairs were needed on the pipe, causing minor inconvenience to fifth annex residents. Several residents were required to move furniture in order to provide space for workers to complete the removal.

The process, which took approximately one week, required "clean rooms" for workers to clean up following removal. Five rooms in fifth annex were affected as either clean rooms or passageways to the attic.

"No asbestos was removed from any of the rooms," said John DeLee, director of facilities at Saint Mary's. "There was no hazard whatsoever to the residents in the rooms. Unfortunately, it was just an inconvenience to the women because it was our only way to the attic."

Asbestos, a fibrous material that can cause lung damage and other medical complications if the fibers reach the air, is found in several older buildings as an insulating material.

Testing of the air in the rooms and attic was completed following the removal to ensure that no asbestos particles were in the air.

While asbestos does insulate pipes in several buildings around campus, it is encapsulated, meaning that it cannot become airborne, said DeLee.

Asbestos is removed when the area is renovated or repaired, which increases the chance the material will become airborne, he said. No areas on campus are in danger of asbestos consequences at this time, he said, although it is something facilities constantly monitor.

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