Sixteen lecture halls at the University of Lille closed after the discovery of asbestos

Asbestos materials were discovered in an air handling unit of an amphitheater at the University of Lille, in Villeneuve d’Ascq (Nord), reported France Bleu Nord on Wednesday, July 11. The university presidency announced on Wednesday that it would immediately close 16 of the 35 amphitheaters on the Cité scientifique campus, while the necessary work is carried out, which will take about two years.

“During a maintenance operation on an air treatment plant on the Cité scientifique campus, the presence of old asbestos materials in small quantities was detected”the University of Lille said in a press release. “The university has right away do carry out checks (samples and atmospheric checks) to verify the absence of exposure to a health risk. The initial results of these samples confirmed the absence of exposure past And present”explains the university.

In order to prevent any future exposure of students and staff, the renovation of buildings dating from the 1960s will begin, in particular to replace the air handling units. The president of the university, Régis Bordet, wants to be reassuring and indicates that the other buildings will remain accessible. The TD/TP rooms, where the vast majority of classes take place, are not affected, as are the student living spaces and administrative premises.