Asbestos News

An asbestos removal project was recently completed at the University of Montana over the school's winter break.

The naturally occurring substance was removed from floor tiles in the school president's office complex, according to the Montana Kaimin.

Hugh Jesse, director of Facilities Services for the university, told the campus newspaper that the removal was part of general renovations that were requested by President Royce Engstrom.

"Essentially, nothing had changed in the last twenty years in there and parts and pieces of (the president's office complex) had worn out," he said.

Jesse said that asbestos is present in other floor tiles throughout the campus but in their current state they do not pose any health risks.

"We have floor tile in some other places that has asbestos in it, but as long as it's not broken or we're not sawing on it, it's not creating any friable material," he told the news provider.

Asbestos can safely remain in place if it is not disturbed, however the presence of the substance always poses the threat that it might become airborne. If the deadly mineral fibers do get released into the air they can cause a range of serious illnesses such asbestosis, lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma.