Hazardous Materials Removed From Campus Buildings
Nicholas Francis
Issue date: 4/28/09 Section: News
|
During the past few weeks, Rains Hall and one of the rear warehouse buildings on campus have been renovated to remove hazardous building materials.
Rains Hall has recently undergone the process of lead abatement, which involves the removal and disposal of lead-containing paint.
The rear warehouse building has been involved in a similar removal process for asbestos-containing roof components.
In the case of Rains Hall, most of the lead paint was removed from the surfaces of the front porch area, primarily on the outside columns.
Lead was used as an additive in paint for many years. Older buildings like Rains Hall are typically the kind of buildings that still contain lead-based paint, although many non-historic structures built within 30 years ago may also contain lead.
Lead was once a popular additive to exterior paints because of its ability to resist decomposition and corrosion from environmental decay. However, after being linked to serious health risks, lead-based paint was outlawed by U.S. lawmakers in 1978 for use in residential dwellings.
Some of the possible side-effects of excessive exposure to lead can include nervous system and kidney damage, poor muscle coordination, learning disabilities in children, attention deficit disorder, and speech, language and behavioral problems, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Lead paint is not uncommon in the historic buildings surrounding the quadrangle area of Augusta State University. However, most experts agree that the lead paint on campus is not an immediate danger to students and faculty because the lead paint has been painted-over numerous times by non-lead paint, and has therefore become what health authorities refer to as being "encapsulated."
The encapsulation process prevents lead paint from being accessible to anyone who comes in contact with the areas where the paint has been used in the past; therefore the condition that the lead is in is considered to be non-hazardous by the EPA.
"Encapsulated lead paint only becomes dangerous when you start to scrape it off and create smaller pieces," said Therese Rosier, assistant vice president of plant operations, "If someone were to scrape off the paint chips and then eat them, only then would lead become a danger."
During the long history of Augusta State, many changes have evolved in the area of building construction, one of the most important changes being the definition of what are considered to be "safe" building materials, Rosier explained.
Be the first to comment on this story