Regulations for Asbestos in Cleaning Sites

Regulations for Asbestos in Cleaning Sites

We are pretty sure that you’re aware of what asbestos is and how it can lead to cancer and other ailments. It’s also a well known fact that asbestos also causes significant damage to the environment.

Due to these reasons, several countries around the world have placed a ban on this mineral. However, that is not the case in the United States where asbestos is still used in some applications.

Asbestos In Construction

Prior to the ban, asbestos was a commonly used in construction. In fact, you’re likely to find traces of the substance in almost every public building that had been constructed before 1980.

After the ban, many of these buildings fell into a state of disrepair. Some of them have even been demolished. However, the authorities need to cater to certain regulations before they do so. Here’s a look at some EPA approved regulations for asbestos in waste sites:

Superfund Sites

EPA has specifically designed the superfund program to deal with hazardous waste sites. This program addresses the presence of asbestos in the environment due to industrial operations or improper disposal of waste.

Some areas where asbestos is commonly found include manufacturing and processing facilities. EPA first reviews the condition of these sites. Once they have assessed the situation, they then take action under the conditions stated in the CERCLA.

The superfund program also deals with cases involving asbestos contamination and future land use.

There have been cases in the past where the EPA had to deal with sites where there was more than 1% asbestos found in materials. However, according to the outlines of the program, soil, which has less than 1% asbestos, too can lead to health risks.

This is why the current directive in EPA requires details like risks at the development site. This allows the authorities to determine if they need to take action or not even if the level of asbestos in the soil is below 1%.

You might want to know that many of the asbestos removal projects are regulated through a separate EPA approved program; section 112 of the National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air pollutants.

NESHAP

National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants deals with public exposure to asbestos. According to the terms dictated in the act, it’s important that only licensed and certified individuals conduct asbestos inspection in commercial and residential properties.

This is where we come in. We are a registered asbestos removal company that offers asbestos removal services. Contact us now at (610) 497-7162 or visit our website for further information.