University officials have created a new plan in order to tackle asbestos issues in buildings on USC’s Columbia campus.
These small steps to address this toxic chemical found in many university buildings built prior to 1981 are certainly welcome, but they could certainly go further and be more detailed. Simply controlling asbestos may be sufficient enough to appease the Department of Health and Environmental Control, but the university should be more direct in addressing asbestos throughout campus.
A full-fledged plan to eradicate asbestos from USC’s facilities should be a lofty — yet worthy — goal for administrative officials. It’s certainly ambitious, and the funding is likely nowhere to been seen as the removal process can be astronomical. But completely removing a carcinogen from buildings students spend hours upon hours in should be considered an utmost priority.
There should be a deadline for when campus buildings will be free of asbestos — even if it’s when our children are alumni. Setting a defined goal binds USC to actually following through to eradicate the issue, rather than letting the problem fester within the walls of USC.
It’s no secret that the infrastructure of the university is in disarray, with buildings such as Hamilton College on the brink of condemnation. This should motivate officials to create a plan and support the renovation of existing structures to be asbestos-free.
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