As a resident of UNC’s Campus Housing Community, we are informing you of the presence of asbestos-containing materials (ACM) in residence halls and campus buildings. As long as the building materials are in good condition, they do not present a health risk to residents.
Materials containing asbestos may include flooring, ceilings, walls, thermal system insulation on pipes and tanks and miscellaneous items. (Asbestos fibers have been used —and continue to be used— in a wide range of manufactured goods, including roofing shingles, ceiling and floor tiles, paper and cement products, textiles, coatings, and friction products such as automobile clutch, brake and transmission parts.)
Unsampled materials in buildings built prior to 1981 are presumed to contain asbestos unless sampling and analysis indicates otherwise. UNC maintains asbestos-containing building materials so they do not crumble and release fibers into the air. If you notice any damaged building materials within your room (or in any area), please contact your Community Director’s Office. Any damaged building material will be repaired immediately.
We ask that you:
- Avoid scraping or damaging ceilings, walls or pipes.
- Do not tape, tack, or glue any posters, papers, pictures, or other items to the ceilings or walls. (Alternatively, you may use 3M Scotch Adhesive Putty to attach posters to walls.)
- Abide by the loft policy and make sure that your loft is no closer than three (3) feet from the ceiling.
UNC has an asbestos control policy and program to manage asbestos on campus. The University has a staff of accredited professionals at the Department of Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) who conduct building inspections, coordinate and supervise asbestos related construction activities, perform air monitoring and provide employee training. To review a copy of the policy and control program, please use the following link: http://ehs.unc.edu/oeh/asbestos/ .
For more information include details about specific buildings, please visit: https://ehs.unc.edu/topics/asbestos/