Parents Not Told of Asbestos

Asbestos is located inside almost all of the residences of the 29 Garden St. apartment building, according to a University-commissioned report, and first-year students and their parents say they have not been notified of the potential hazard.

The report, obtained by The Crimson last week from a concerned parent of a first-year resident of the building, said the asbestos is a "minimal" hazard, but found the cancercausing material in rooms, the freight elevator and two trash and laundry rooms on various floors of the apartment building.

For the second straight year, more than 150 first-years are living at 29 Garden St. because of the ongoing renovations of Yard dormitories.

Routine activities like cleaning, moving furniture, or even hanging plans may cause the contained asbestos to become "friable," or crumbled, and "be transported through the air," the report says. This could present an "asbestos hazard," according to the report.

"Non-friable material may become friable at any time as a result of the activities in the building," the report warns. "Activities which may cause the material to become friable should be avoided."

The report, prepared by Diversified Environmental Corporation of Norwell, estimates it would cost $51,054 to remove all asbestos from the building. The same company removed asbestos tiling from 29 Garden St. in January and March of this year.

In interviews last week, officials from Harvard Real Estate and around the University downplayed some of the findings of the report. The officials, including Dean of Freshmen Elizabeth S. Nathans, said the building is safe and that there is no health hazard to students.

Several pointed out that the report calls any hazard presented by the asbestos "minimal." Most of the asbestos, these officials noted, is contained within floor tiling and other structures.

The report also identified the presence of asbestos-containing materials such as floor tiles through-out the Harvard Police Department, which is located in the 29 Garden St. basement. Contaminated areas include the first floor police property room, men's and women's bathrooms, the officer locker rooms and the first floor police task force room.

Robert Kotowski, the president of Harvard's police officers union, yesterday said he was upset about the report.

"It sounds like the union would have a nice lawsuit here if this all comes tobe," said Kotowski, who first learned of thereport from The Crimson Friday. "It's adisgusting, disgusting way to treat employees. Ifthis is, in fact, true, someone should be heldresponsible."

The report also states that Harvard shouldinform all building occupants about the locationof materials with asbestos and "inform them of thepotential hazards associated with disturbing"them.

But when first-year students moved into thebuilding this weekend, parents and students saidthey had not been informed of the existence ofasbestos-containing materials throughout thebuilding.

"We have received tons of information andnothing about asbestos. The problem concerns me intwo ways: First, because of potential healthproblems; and second it would raise my interest inwhy we weren't told," said Dr. Riccardo Cortese,who had traveled with his son from Rome, Italy. "Irealize this is a delicate matter, but I wouldlike to know more about it."

Kotowski and a handful of police departmentemployees interviewed over the weekend said they,too, had not been notified about the asbestos.Kotowski said officers were told only about acouple of specific asbestos removal projects andwere never notified about the general presence ofasbestos throughout the building.

Nathans, the dean, said that while she has notseen the asbestos report, she has been briefedabout it and is "satisfied the building is safe."

Nathans said Harvard had not notified parentsabout the asbestos because the building is "safe."

"We would not be using it otherwise," Nathanssaid. "Asbestos issues have been checked andaddressed responsibly and we are satisfied this isan appropriate building to be using."

Nathans acknowledged that the only informationsent to parents of first-years in 29 Garden St.about the presence of asbestos in the building wascontained in the last few paragraphs of a Crimsonarticle included in a sample issue of thenewspaper.

After reading that Crimson article, one fatherof a first-year student assigned to live in the 29Garden St. building said he called Associate Deanof Freshmen W. C. Burris Young '55 and severalother Harvard officials. He eventually obtained acopy of the report.

"There's asbestos in each of the rooms," saidthe parent, who spoke on condition of anonymity."The report says that the tile presents a minimaldanger. Minimal danger, to these kids. I mean, nodanger is acceptable."

The official who ordered the report, AssistantVice President of Residential Housing Susan K.Keller, and Harvard Real Estate president KristinS. Demong said Friday that the asbestos report waspart of a routine review being made before afull-scale renovation of the building begins nextsummer. After that renovation, 29 Garden St. willbecome affiliated housing and will no longer beused for first-years.

Both real estate officials emphasized that thebuilding's tenants are not in danger. They saidHarvard Real Estate had consulted with theEnvironmental Health and Safety office, whichconcurred with that ruling.

"It is absolutely not something that I, as aproperty manager, am worried about," Demong said."Floor tile is not a problem in itself."

In addition, a recent test of the air in 29Garden St. for the presence of asbestos found thelevel of asbestos to be below the state-mandatedlimit, Keller said.

Demong said Harvard Real Estate wouldeventually notify first-years of the presence ofasbestos. She said she wanted to "avoid beingalarmist," because, in her opinion, the level ofasbestos does not constitute a health threat.

"We have every intention of notifying thetenants," Demong said. She declined to give aspecific date that Harvard would make suchnotification.

Nathans referred specific questions about thereport to University Attorney Robert B. Donin.Donin said there is no danger to students livingin the building. But as recommended in theasbestos inspection report, Harvard will undertakean "Operations and Maintenance Program" to monitorthe asbestos-containing material in the building.

"There will be periodic inspections, advice toresidents, and periodic sampling," Donin said.

Donin would not elaborate on what advice mightbe given to students living in the apartments. Hesaid no asbestos removal will take place this yearwhile students are in the building.

First-year students and their parents arrivedat 29 Garden St. to move in Saturday, and manysaid they were concerned upon learning thatasbestos is located throughout the building.

Joelyn Yoder, mother of Emmerich Yoder '97, a29 Garden St. first-year, said she planned to askHarvard for more information about asbestos in thebuilding after being shown the report.

"I think they should let people know aboutthis," Yoder said. "I'd like to know. What do theymean by 'Minimal' is a very subjective term."

Yoder then turned quickly to her son: "Don'tunpack your bags yet.

The report also states that Harvard shouldinform all building occupants about the locationof materials with asbestos and "inform them of thepotential hazards associated with disturbing"them.

But when first-year students moved into thebuilding this weekend, parents and students saidthey had not been informed of the existence ofasbestos-containing materials throughout thebuilding.

"We have received tons of information andnothing about asbestos. The problem concerns me intwo ways: First, because of potential healthproblems; and second it would raise my interest inwhy we weren't told," said Dr. Riccardo Cortese,who had traveled with his son from Rome, Italy. "Irealize this is a delicate matter, but I wouldlike to know more about it."

Kotowski and a handful of police departmentemployees interviewed over the weekend said they,too, had not been notified about the asbestos.Kotowski said officers were told only about acouple of specific asbestos removal projects andwere never notified about the general presence ofasbestos throughout the building.

Nathans, the dean, said that while she has notseen the asbestos report, she has been briefedabout it and is "satisfied the building is safe."

Nathans said Harvard had not notified parentsabout the asbestos because the building is "safe."

"We would not be using it otherwise," Nathanssaid. "Asbestos issues have been checked andaddressed responsibly and we are satisfied this isan appropriate building to be using."

Nathans acknowledged that the only informationsent to parents of first-years in 29 Garden St.about the presence of asbestos in the building wascontained in the last few paragraphs of a Crimsonarticle included in a sample issue of thenewspaper.

After reading that Crimson article, one fatherof a first-year student assigned to live in the 29Garden St. building said he called Associate Deanof Freshmen W. C. Burris Young '55 and severalother Harvard officials. He eventually obtained acopy of the report.

"There's asbestos in each of the rooms," saidthe parent, who spoke on condition of anonymity."The report says that the tile presents a minimaldanger. Minimal danger, to these kids. I mean, nodanger is acceptable."

The official who ordered the report, AssistantVice President of Residential Housing Susan K.Keller, and Harvard Real Estate president KristinS. Demong said Friday that the asbestos report waspart of a routine review being made before afull-scale renovation of the building begins nextsummer. After that renovation, 29 Garden St. willbecome affiliated housing and will no longer beused for first-years.

Both real estate officials emphasized that thebuilding's tenants are not in danger. They saidHarvard Real Estate had consulted with theEnvironmental Health and Safety office, whichconcurred with that ruling.

"It is absolutely not something that I, as aproperty manager, am worried about," Demong said."Floor tile is not a problem in itself."

In addition, a recent test of the air in 29Garden St. for the presence of asbestos found thelevel of asbestos to be below the state-mandatedlimit, Keller said.

Demong said Harvard Real Estate wouldeventually notify first-years of the presence ofasbestos. She said she wanted to "avoid beingalarmist," because, in her opinion, the level ofasbestos does not constitute a health threat.

"We have every intention of notifying thetenants," Demong said. She declined to give aspecific date that Harvard would make suchnotification.

Nathans referred specific questions about thereport to University Attorney Robert B. Donin.Donin said there is no danger to students livingin the building. But as recommended in theasbestos inspection report, Harvard will undertakean "Operations and Maintenance Program" to monitorthe asbestos-containing material in the building.

"There will be periodic inspections, advice toresidents, and periodic sampling," Donin said.

Donin would not elaborate on what advice mightbe given to students living in the apartments. Hesaid no asbestos removal will take place this yearwhile students are in the building.

First-year students and their parents arrivedat 29 Garden St. to move in Saturday, and manysaid they were concerned upon learning thatasbestos is located throughout the building.

Joelyn Yoder, mother of Emmerich Yoder '97, a29 Garden St. first-year, said she planned to askHarvard for more information about asbestos in thebuilding after being shown the report.

"I think they should let people know aboutthis," Yoder said. "I'd like to know. What do theymean by 'Minimal' is a very subjective term."

Yoder then turned quickly to her son: "Don'tunpack your bags yet.