The Claremont University Consortium released its 2017-2018 asbestos location report on Sept. 28, which identified several campus buildings as having contained some form of asbestos, including where it has been identified in the past and recently removed.
Asbestos, a set of minerals that can cause cancer if inhaled, is not banned by the Environmental Protection Agency, and can be found in areas such as piping, insulation, ducts, tiles, plasters, and exterior roofing. The report states that undisturbed asbestos is not a health hazard and that only when the Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM) are disturbed, causing asbestos becomes airborne, does it pose a risk.
Among CUC’s shared facilities, five buildings have ACM: the Bernard Field Station’s old infirmary building, Honnold Mudd Library, Huntley Bookstore, the Office of Black Student Affairs, and the Pendleton business building. The Claremont Graduate School reported that across 11 buildings, ACM are present in piping insulation, concealed in walls, or have been removed.
Several buildings at Claremont McKenna College were reported to have had ACM in piping insulation, steel support, acoustical insulation, and fireproofing material. Ten of CMC’s residence halls have had asbestos removed, encapsulated, or been proofed from being disturbed. The report does not mention Crown Hall or Claremont Hall, but does note that Beckett Hall and Philips Hall use ACM in piping insulation.
Harvey Mudd College’s report, dated March 2016, identifies ACM in fireproofing material, piping insulation, structural steel, ties, and/or in transite wall panels. Three residence halls – East Hall, North Hall, and West Hall – contain transite wall panels below windows. East Hall and South Hall also use ACM in piping insulation. The other five residence halls of HMC do not have any reported ACM found.
Pitzer College’s report notes ACM in piping insulation and tiling of several buildings, although much has been removed. Among residence halls, only Mead Hall is mentioned in the report, with ACM contained in piping insulation and tiling, although it has been already removed in several rooms.
Pomona College’s report identifies several buildings containing ACM in piping insulation, equipment insulation, and acoustic ceilings. Some residence halls also contain ACM in the attic, walls, or in otherwise concealed locations, such as Clark I, Clark V, and Harwood Hall. Vinyl asbestos tiling is also found in Sumner Hall and Wig Hall.
Similarly, Scripps College’s report, dated December 2015, lists several buildings with ACM in piping insulation or concealed in walls, including most residence halls.