Asbestos Abatement Planned at Elizabeth City, NC State University

Like Elizabeth City State University, schools throughout the United States, including colleges and universities, face expensive renovations to aging campus buildings complicated by the removal of asbestos-containing materials. Those exposed to asbestos materials face the risk to develop serious illnesses many decades later.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer or asbestosis, please complete the form on this page to obtain information from our asbestos lawyers about your legal rights and options.

In February 2010, the Elizabeth City, NC Daily Advance, reported on the status of asbestos abatement work at the theater and library building on the Elizabeth City State University campus. The asbestos abatement project was begun in January 2010, and was on track to be completed by the middle of April.

The asbestos removal work was being performed as part of other renovations to install energy-efficient lighting and ventilation systems. The asbestos abatement project also involved the removal of asbestos-containing ceiling and floor tiles in both the theater and library.

Asbestos-Containing Materials in Schools
Asbestos-containing materials (ACM) were routinely used in the construction of many older school buildings in a number of different places, including:

Asbestos insulation was commonly used in boiler rooms. For steam-heated buildings, asbestos insulation was also applied to the pipes in school hallways, stairwells, classrooms and radiators.

Asbestos-containing glues and mastics were used to apply floor and wall tiles in bathrooms, cafeterias, gyms and locker rooms.

Asbestos was added to plaster applied to walls. Buildings with older vinyl wall coverings and wallpapers also likely contained asbestos.

Asbestos-containing mastics were used to apply floor tiles, and asbestos was added to many subflooring and linoleum flooring materials.

Building roofs were routinely built or repaired using asbestos-containing shingles or roofing tiles, and many ceilings (particularly those with acoustic “popcorn” ceilings) contained ACM.

Health Risks from Asbestos in Schools
When asbestos materials degenerate or become friable (can be crushed or reduced to powder), the microscopic asbestos fibers can contaminate the air. Those that inhale asbestos dusts face a lifelong risk to develop serious asbestos-related illnesses many decades after they were exposed.

This long period of time between exposure and when asbestos disease is diagnosed (known as latency periods) can be 30-40 or more years long, meaning that someone exposed to asbestos in their 20s may not show signs of asbestos disease until they are close to retirement age.

Tragically, after those who work in occupations where possible exposure to asbestos in the course of their daily work would be likely (construction workers, carpenters, refinery workers, etc.) the group with the highest asbestos disease diagnosis statistics are elementary school teachers.

The high asbestos disease statistics for teachers are thought to be linked to a number of factors, such as the likelihood that these teachers may spend their entire careers teaching in the same school district and building and those elementary teachers are more likely to hang and remove seasonal classroom decorations themselves.

How Weitz & Luxenberg Can Help
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, we may be able to help you to seek justice for your illness and file a lawsuit on your behalf.

Please complete the form on this page for a free and confidential review of your potential asbestos lawsuit or request a free copy of our asbestos sourcebook. A Weitz & Luxenberg representative will contact you as soon as possible.