The National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) is a part of the EPA that looks at potential airborne contaminants. Asbestos contamination is a major issue that may be subject to NESHAP regulations.
NESHAP regulations are Federal regulations under the Clean Air Act (CAA) that apply to the facility owners and contractors who perform work in public and commercial buildings. Asbestos NESHAP regulations address common small business activities such as milling, manufacturing, and fabricating operations, demolition and renovation activities, waste disposal issues, active and inactive waste disposal sites, and asbestos conversion processes.
A privately-owned home or an apartment with four or fewer units is exempt from the regulations unless the building has either had previous use or future planned use as a commercial or public facility. For privately owned homes and apartments with four or fewer units, please refer to the fact sheet titled “How Do I Manage Asbestos In My House Or Apartment Building?”
NESHAP Compliance
The term “facility” as used in NESHAP regulations refers to a residential structure or any building that has been or will be used as a commercial property. The only exemptions are privately owned homes or residential structures having four or fewer dwelling units.
Category II non-friable ACM consists of any material except for Category I non-friable ACM that contains more than one percent asbestos as determined using PLM and that when dry, cannot be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure.
If an inspector has determined that regulated ACM removal is necessary, a notice of the removal must be delivered or postmarked to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) at least 10 working days prior to the commencement of demolition or renovation if the amount of regulated ACM to be removed exceeds 160 square feet, 260 linear feet, or 1 cubic meter. This notification of demolition and renovation form can be obtained by calling the Illinois EPA Office of Small Business.
NESHAP Asbestos Requirements
Although you will hire a licensed contractor to conduct regulated ACM removal work, you should be aware of the requirements below for contractors during removal activities.
- A NESHAP-trained person must be present.
- The area from which the asbestos will be removed should be sealed off and any forced-air heating systems should be shut off.
- Workers should wear a respirator fitted with cartridges that filter out asbestos fibers.
- The asbestos should not be broken into small pieces because this can increase the number of airborne asbestos fibers.
- The asbestos should be kept wet during the entire removal process.
- The asbestos waste should be containerized and labeled for disposal at an approved landfill.
- The area from which the asbestos was removed should be cleaned thoroughly with a wet mop, rags, or sponges.
- Asbestos removal workers should decontaminate themselves.
Illinois Environmental Contractors Association Resources
For more information on finding a local contractor to assist with asbestos information, remediation, or removal check the resources below: