Special notice: Presence of asbestos in CSU buildings

Wednesday, April 3, 2024, 8:30am

TO: Campus Community
FR: Missy Brunetta, Director, Environmental Health & Safety/Associate Risk Manager

This notification is being provided pursuant to Section 25915 of the California Health and Safety Code. Asbestos surveys confirm the presence of asbestos-containing construction materials (ACCM) on the Sonoma State University campus.

Asbestos-containing construction materials pose no threat to your health unless asbestos fibers become airborne due to material aging, deterioration, or as a result of damage. Therefore, it is important that proper work practices be followed to minimize the potential for disturbing asbestos-containing construction materials.

  • Avoid touching asbestos materials in walls, ceilings, pipes, or boilers.
  • Do not drill holes, or hang plants or other objects from walls or ceilings made of asbestos-containing construction materials.
  • Do not disturb ACCM when replacing light bulbs.

If you find ACCMs that have been damaged, report it to Environmental Health and Safety at (707) 664-2100. Do not disturb damaged ACCM or asbestos debris. Only authorized and properly trained individuals should perform any work which may disturb ACCM. Learn about the university's asbestos and lead program on the EHS website.  To request work that may involve asbestos containing materials, please submit a work order.

For your information, a list of building locations and a brief description of the materials, such as ceiling tiles, floor tiles, or pipe insulation, that are known to contain asbestos are listed here. Any employee may review these asbestos surveys and the specific monitoring data and sampling procedures used. They are available during normal business hours in the Environmental Health and Safety Office located on the second floor of Salazar Hall.

The sampling and laboratory procedures utilized in conducting these surveys include the bulk sampling methods of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the Environmental Protection Agency.

If you have any questions, please contact Environmental Health and Safety at safety@sonoma.eduor (707) 664-2100.

Locations with asbestos-containing construction materials

BUILDING NAME

LOCATION

MATERIAL TYPE

Art Department

Labs, studios & classrooms

Joint compound, floor tile & mastic, baseboard adhesive, pipe insulation, gas kiln walls, roofing

Mechanical rooms

Tank and pipe insulation

Rooftop

Pipe insulation

Boiler Plant

Building

Joint compound, patching material, tank & pipe Insulation, floor tile, baseboard adhesive, high-temperature water line insulation, cold water line insulation block adhesive & wrap compound, circuit breaker

Utility tunnel

High high-temperature water line Insulation, cold water line insulation block adhesive & wrap compound

Carson Hall

Classrooms & offices

Joint compound, floor tile & mastic, window caulk, plaster, fire door insulation

Children’s School

Old sections

Joint compound, floor tile & mastic, baseboard adhesive, original roofing (covered)

Facilities Management

Offices & shops

Joint compound, texture, floor tile & mastic, pipe insulation, roofing

International Hall

Building

Sealant, mastic, roofing materials

Ives Hall

Building 

Joint compound, brown chalkboards, fire stop, floor tile, mastic, caulk, baseboard adhesive, roof flashing, patching

Mechanical rooms

Tank and pipe insulation, tar, floor tile. mastic

Auditorium

Floor tile & mastic

KSUN & studios

Acoustical plaster enclosed in soffit

Physical Education Building

Building

Joint compound, skim coats, mastic, floor tile, wall surfacing compound, roofing, transite ducts 

Mechanical rooms

Tank and pipe insulation

Rooftop

Pipe insulation

Nichols Hall

Building

Joint compound, floor tile. mastic, fire door insulation

Zinfandel Residence Halls 

Residences

Joint compound, skim coats, floor tile, mastic, baseboard adhesive

Zinfandel center

Transite wall board, pipe insulation, roof mastic

Maintenance closets and crawl spaces

Pipe insulation

Student Health Center

Building

Joint compound, mastics, sink undercoatings, gaskets, roof sealants, roof flex joint, valve packing, floor tile & mastic, lab sink

Track

Track

Asphaltic material underneath track surface (not accessible)

Wine Institute

Mechanical room

Tank & pipe insulation

Zinfandel Classrooms

Old restrooms

Joint compound, texture coat, floor tile, mastic

Mechanical rooms

Flange gaskets, insulation mastic, roofing

Various

Various

Baseboard adhesive, joint compound, floor tile &  mastic, fire door insulation, mastics, transite panels, thermal system insulation, sealants, underground transite pipe