I recently moved into my freshman dorm. It’s very old and was made in the 50’s. Pipes in the room are covered in asbestos and the ceiling tiles are asbestos too. Some of the tiles are falling apart although not too bad. I sleep within 2 feet of them since my bed is lifted so I spend 8 hours of the day breathing next to them. I’m unsure what to do. It seems like a dangerous living condition and I’d hate to get cancer because of it. Any suggestions?
Do you know for a fact that the tiles, etc are asbestos? Just b/c they are old / made in the 1950’s does not mean that the material is asbestos, and it is not easy for a non-expert to tell the difference.
Next, if it is asbestos, it is only dangerous to you if it is broken- it is the dust that is dangerous.
If you have ceiling tiles that are broken and coming down, write a note to the head of reslife / building operations, copying whatever dorm people seem relevant and express your concerns.
You need to file a report with housing or facilities to request that whatever is broken be fixed, regardless.
If these are asbestos, they’re only harmful if they are damaged. Ask for them to be fixed, regardless of what they are made of.