The salad bar and deli area of Marquis Dining Hall was closed for several days to repair drywall and subsequently shut down for a health investigation last week. The area was initially announced to be contaminated with asbestos, but further examination proved it to be fiberglass.
According to college spokesman Scott Morse, the remediation process to remove the asbestos “discovered no asbestos in the affected area, contrary to initial information.”
Tony Williams, the district manager of Parkhurst Dining, declined to comment, deferring comment to Morse.
Morse added that all areas of the dining hall have since been reopened. He did not respond to specific questions about to what extent fiberglass was present in the area.
Unlike asbestos, fiberglass is not a known carcinogen to humans, though its exposure could have irritating effects to the body, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control.
According to Goldberg, Persky & White, a Pennsylvania-based law firm specializing in asbestos claims, “Fiberglass is often mistaken for asbestos by homeowners and those working in the building trades. Both materials have a similar appearance and are used for many of the same purposes.”
The college alerted the campus to the asbestos in last Thursday’s edition of the Lafayette Today. The announcement claimed that facilities staff discovered the material during a routine repair. According to Morse, those repairs have now been completed.
The area was immediately blocked off and the dining hall was closed on Sunday for a health code inspection, according to the announcement. The area would only reopen after proper cleaning and approval from a health code inspector.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Asbestos-containing materials that aren’t damaged or disturbed are not likely to pose a health risk.” However, should such materials become disturbed, those exposed have an increased risk of “developing lung disease.”
Sam McEntee ‘28, a Marquis Hall resident, reported concern about the possible asbestos in her residence hall. She said she felt frustrated when the dining hall was shut down.
“Being someone who lives in Marquis, we got nothing else other than the Lafayette Today article and an email that they were shutting off the water,” McEntee said. “More communication would have been better.”
Several students approached about the incident had no knowledge of its occurrence.
Elisabeth Seidel ’26 contributed reporting.
