Welcome to the home page of the Asbestos Program. Please use the left navigation buttons to find specific information.
The goal of the Asbestos Program is to reduce the chance of exposure to asbestos, which is known to cause cancer. Asbestos has been found in over 3,000 building materials and products. Asbestos-containing materials (ACM) are still brought into the United States and can be commonly found in existing buildings.
The Asbestos Program makes sure that asbestos is removed properly as required by law. The Asbestos Program works together with the Environmental Practitioner Licensing Program to license and regulate asbestos abatement contractors and asbestos consultants. The Asbestos Program is also responsible for ensuring that asbestos-containing materials in schools are correctly managed. These regulations apply to all K-12 public and private, not-for-profit schools.
The US EPA is responsible for enforcing the federal asbestos regulations for renovation and demolition. A “facility”, as defined by 40 CFR, Part 61, Subpart M, the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) must be inspected prior to renovation or demolition. Notification requirements apply whenever the threshold of asbestos to be abated is equal to or greater than 160 square feet, 260 linear feet or 35 cubic feet for renovations and for all demolitions, even when there is no asbestos present. For more on the asbestos NESHAP, see Resource Links.
EPA requires 10 working days instead of 10 calendar days for notification. EPA notification lists information not presently included on the state form. EPA requires notification in the following situations: Any renovation or demolition in a NESHAP–defined facility, regardless of the amount of ACM to be abated, down to zero asbestos present.