IUPUI Environmental Health & Safety

Asbestos Management > What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that was used in many different building materials before its health hazards were fully known. The primary materials where asbestos is found on campus are: insulation, floor tiles, floor sheeting, mastic, roofing, counter tops, and fume hoods. Other materials which may contain asbestos include: wallboard, taping compound, plaster, sinks, ceiling tile, spray-on fire proofing, chase panels, electrical insulation, putty/caulk.

How Hazardous is Asbestos?
Asbestos is only a hazard if the microscopic size fibers are released into the air. Once the fibers are in the air, humans can breath in the fibers and they can become lodged in the lungs.
Most people experiencing health effects from asbestos have worked with raw materials and breathed air with high concentrations of asbestos over long periods of time.

The three diseases directly related to asbestos exposure are:

Asbestosis - a scarring of the lungs caused by exposure to asbestos. Continued exposure may lead to degeneration of lung function and death.

Lung Cancer - a malignant growth of tissue in the lungs, specifically of the bronchi covering.

Mesothelioma - a rare cancer of the lining around the lungs (pleura) or the abdomen (peritoneum). It is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos.

Asbestos Management at IUPUI campus buildings constructed prior to 1981 typically have asbestos-containing materials within their structures.
An inspection survey has been conducted on a number of the buildings on campus.
The inspection identified building materials that contained asbestos in those buildings surveyed.
Results of the inspection survey may be obtained by contacting Environmental Health and Safety.