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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 7, 1982)
Emerald Vol 83, No. 73 Eugene, Oregon 97403 Thursday, January 7, 1982 Asbestos hazard may involve dorms Threat bothers student By DANE CLAUSSEN Of tw EtiwiM The asbestos hazard in the east wing of the Science I building is insignificant com pared to the potential threat of asbestos in dormitories, says Mitchell Anstme, a former board member of the Residence Hall Governance Council Asbestos — a known cause of cancer — was reported to be flaking off the large beams sup porting the Science I building, where it is used as insulation Anstine contacted the Emerald about another possible asbes tos hazard after reading the Dec 9 article about the problem in Science I Pipes in dorm rooms are wrapped with asbestos insula tion and often are located less than three feet from the beds, says Anstine, a senior chemistry major "In one room, you had to rip the pipe insulation to open the window," he says John Thorpe of the housing office says there is asbestos in pipe wrappings but says the pipes are safe "The test is whether they (as bestos surfaces) have been sealed," he says "The physical plant did some rewrapping and refitting to eliminate possible hazards Our systems have been checked " This doesn't mean that "at any one moment" there isn't a pipe wrapping torn or asbestos exposed otherwise, but physical plant crews fix such hazards as soon as possible, he says Fiberglass, an alternative to asbestos, is unnecessary and expensive, he says Broken pipe jackets can be found in heating tunnels, says John Kahananui, University r Photo by Erich Bo«kelhetd< Students peruse used books at the new student-run co-op book bazaar. Book co-op struggling But profits should improve with time What began as a an observation about the University by a transfer student became a student service and group fundraiser for the campus American Ad vertising Federation chapter The chapter has started a book co-op, which serves as a medium for students to sell books to other students at prices the sellers establish This is the first time the Federation has formed a co-op, and it is skeptical about making a profit this week, says Jessica Drate, the advertising major who thought up the idea She says a major cost that cut into profits of the co-op, located in the southwest corner of the EMU cafeteria, was buying receipt books "The school I used to go to (University ’ of North Carolina) had a book co-op,” Drate says, adding she was surprised to find this one doesn t. "Here no one had heard of one," she says. “It's going pretty well considering it’s the first time " "We ll keep on doing it." Drate adds, explaining she believes the effort will be more successful each term Any profits will be used to sponsor teams of students at regional and na tional advertising competitions, accord ing to Drate “They’re an alternative and I'm not opposed to them," says Jim Williams, general manager of the University Book store. "I wish them well, personally," he says Students can buy books, sell books, and collect money for their books that have been sold today and Friday. Students whose books don’t sell may reclaim them Friday architect, "but I don't know of any other" asbestos hazards Staff entering those tunnels must wear masks, he says Dormitory pipes are "adequately protected." Kahananui says, "I think the problem is infinitesimal " Asbestos in dormitories poses no hazard, agrees Don Lee, associate director of dor mitories. He says he knows of no instances in which ripped pipe coverings were not repaired soon Insulation on ceilings at the University generally is wood based materials sealed with la tex paint. Thorpe says, adding that fiberglass and other mater ials are used to replace asbes tos insulating pipes The Earl complex probably has the most potential problems with asbestos, Anstine says He says he pointed out po tential hazards to Thorpe and did just about everything up to bringing in the Health Depart ment" but got little reaction from Thorpe and other officials "I was hoping Thorpe would do something about it,' Anstine says Thorpe had known about the hazards and looked at them with Anstine but had a "ho hum atti tude," Anstine says "We're not ignoring it," Thorpe says, explaining that dorms are checked for various reasons "several times a year" and he just "went through" the Earl building "I should have ramrodded it through the Health Depart ment," Anstine says "Even if (the pipes) were adequately wrapped, they are not safe," he says Anstine says he did tell the county health department about McClure Hall resident Mike Bryce watches TV in the basement of his dormitory. The pipes above his head are insulated with asbestos. the hazard and that department officals were 'shocked by it.” But George Bressells of the Environmental Health Division of the Lane County Health Department says no reports have crossed his desk No other students have com plained. Thorpe says Anstine "worries a little bit more about it than he should ” But Anstine says his worries are valid “There's no place for asbestos to go except up your lungs,” Anstine says It should be stressed that as bestos was used before there was any idea of its hazards, Thorpe says "We didn't even use face masks" when dealing with it, he says Photos by Bob Baker Grad student Mitchell Anstine points out torn pipe insulation. Leaking asbestos fibers pose a health hazard in residence halls, he contends.
