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Alternative Asbestos Control Method Program

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Reviewers

View the list of reviewers participating in the workshop (PDF) (1 p, 27 KB, About PDF)

 

 

National Resources

 

Crews demonstrate the alternative asbestos control method at Fort Chaffee in Arkansas.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is announcing the availability for review and comment of two draft reports titled, Evaluation of the Alternative Asbestos Control Method at Site Two (AACM2) for Demolition of Asbestos-Containing Buildings, and Evaluation of the Alternative Asbestos Control Method at Site Three (AACM3) for Demolition of Asbestos-Containing Buildings. These reports were prepared by EPA's Office of Research and Development.

The final EPA reports for AACM#2 and AACM#3 will be posted simultaneously with the final peer review report.

Registration for AACM External Peer Review Meeting

Evaluation of the Alternative Asbestos Control Method at Site Two (AACM2) for Demolition of Asbestos-Containing Buildings (157 pp, 2.8 MB, About PDF)

Executive Summary of Site Two (4 pp, 112 KB, About PDF)

Evaluation of the Alternative Asbestos Control Method at Site Three (AACM3) for Demolition of Asbestos-Containing Buildings (193 pp, 4.2 MB, About PDF)

Executive Summary of Site Three (4 pp, 89 KB, About PDF)

Federal Register Notice of Availability of the Draft Demonstration of Alternative Asbestos Control Method Demolition for Two Asbestos-Containing Buildings and Expert Peer Review Meeting

During a two-year period, beginning in 2003, more than 166,000 asbestos-contaminated buildings were demolished or renovated nationwide. EPA’s Office of Research and Development and EPA Region 6 are engaged in a research project to evaluate whether an Alternative Asbestos Control Method can reliably meet the current emission standard while speeding up efforts to demolish abandoned, dilapidated buildings.

Why Is an Alternative Asbestos Control Method Potentially Needed?

Abandoned buildings in need of demolition dot the landscape in communities nationwide, damaging neighborhoods and inhibiting redevelopment. They can be havens for crime, unsafe shelters for the homeless, magnets for children and potential sources of harmful asbestos. When these buildings contain asbestos—as many do because of the common use of asbestos in building materials—communities, law enforcement and local government officials have to spend a disproportionate about of time, energy and revenues addressing the problem. Often, the outcome is that these buildings remain vacant for years and then collapse.

EPA experts believe that developing an Alternative Asbestos Control Method for use during demolition offers an opportunity to better safeguard citizens’ health and support redevelopment efforts. It is important to understand that the asbestos emission standard that currently applies during building demolition will not change—the alternative method would be held to the same emission standard, it would just be a different way of getting there.

Read more about the Alternative Asbestos Control Method

Alternative Asbestos Control Method Pilot Research Projects

For more information about the Alternative Asbestos Control Method pilot research projects:

Reports on Pilot Project #2 and #3 will be published in the summer of 2008, after completion of the independent peer review and associated public comment. Information on the peer review process and public involvement, and to offer comments. Information for asbestos trainers and contractors is available here.

View the project timeline

Background Information on the Alternative Asbestos Control Method

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