Asbestos is being removed from the old section of the Student Union building and the Music building in preparation for further renovations to the structures.
Paul Cotter, asbestos program manager, said two categories of asbestos are found in structures.
"One type is called friable asbestos, and that means it can be crushed into a powder form with hand pressure," he said. "The other type is non-friable, meaning it cannot be destroyed by hand pressure."
Cotter said products like fireproofing insulation and acoustics found in band halls and elementary schools are examples of friable asbestos. Materials such as adhesives and caulks are examples of non-friable asbestos, he said.
"Understand that in Texas, all forms of asbestos are regulated," he said. "Although they come in different mineral forms."
Tech removes asbestos when renovating a building to ensure the safety of the students, faculty, staff and building occupants, Cotter said.
Asbestos exposure is associated with various forms of lung cancer if enough of the substance is inhaled, according to WebMD.com.
"Phase one of the current project was finished last week, meaning asbestos has been removed," he said. "We had a contractor working on the project who has been working at the Student Union since the beginning and we had an engineer out of Dallas who was monitoring the air inside and outside the containment, or in other words, the plastic walls."
The engineer built the containment and is licensed by the state of Texas, Cotter said.
"The workers must wear disposable suits, air masks, and protective equipment like boots and gloves to ensure safety," he said. "The next project on the agenda is the Allen Theater."
Todd Hardin, facilities planning and construction project manager, said phase one and phase two of the expansion of the Student Union and renovations have been completed.
"We are currently working on phase 2B, which was added to the project at a later date," he said. "It will include the renovation of the central courtyard and the Allen Theater and lobby."
Part of phase 2B was the removal of asbestos from the buildings, Hardin said.
"In this phase we are going to restore the clay tile roofs of the buildings, do a life safety update, do an east elevation by replacing some of the glass in the building, and an exterior renovation by cleaning and restoring the brick, weatherproofing and replacing damaged bricks," he said.
The budget for phase one and two was $38 million, and phase 2B will add $6 million, so the overall project cost approximately $44 million, Hardin said.
"We are beginning phase 2B now, and we expect it take about 14 to 16 months to complete," he said. "So we are looking at the project being complete somewhere around June or July 2006."
Colten Claybrook, a sophomore undecided major from Refugio, said he believes the removal of asbestos from the buildings is completely safe.
"I think it is a good idea to remove it and I think it is great that they are renovating and updating the buildings," he said.
Nancy Zayatz, an anthropology instructor, said she does not believe the process can be completely safe for building occupants.
"If there are still people in the building I think it could be unsafe," she said. "I understand they do all they can, but there is always that question."
The process of asbestos removal is not quick so it lingers in the air after the crews have finished the removal, Zayatz said.
"I think the renovations to make buildings more aesthetically pleasing is unnecessary," she said. "There are other ways the money needs to be spent and there are departments who could use the funds."
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