Toxic substances force closure of SFSU Science Building

San Francisco State University officials have found uncontained mercury, lead paint and asbestos dust in the campus' Science Building, where at least 2,500 students and employees work and study, and have shut the building down.

"The University's hope is that by making this temporary closure, we can quickly identify any problems that may exist and complete treatments or repairs in time for the start of spring semester," President Les Wong said in a letter to employees on Friday afternoon.

Classes resume on Jan. 27, and students have not been told about the hazard.

"You give information out on a need-to-know basis," said Ellen Griffin, the campus spokeswoman. "We're working on all cylinders to restore the building in time for the start of the semester. If it can happen, there's nothing to tell students. If it can't, we need to have a contingency plan we can convey to them."

More than 200 faculty and staff have not been off during the winter break and have been told to find other places to work.

The Science Building houses four colleges: Business, Liberal and Creative Arts, Science and Engineering, and Health and Human Services.

Griffin said the hazardous materials were found during a chemical inventory of the building early last week. Employees showed where they thought they had sealed them off, and those rooms were closed when they tested positive. Then lead paint and uncontained asbestos and mercury - used by students in the lab - were found in several other rooms, so the building was shut down at 5 p.m. Friday.

Now the campus will try to determine how the materials got there and what to do about them, Griffin said.

A second round of test results is expected by the end of the day on Wednesday.