![[logo] US EPA](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20081004151204im_/http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Alternative Asbestos Control Method
Pilot Research Project #1
Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority, Fort Smith, Arkansas
Our Team
- Adele Cardenas Malott
Project Manager, Dallas - Roger Wilmoth
Project Manager, Cincinnati
Reviewers
View the list of reviewers participating in the workshop (PDF) (1 p, 27 KB, About PDF)
National Resources
Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, was identified as the first site for the testing of the Alternative Asbestos Control Method. Pilot Research Project #1 was carried out as a joint effort of the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority, the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, the United States Department of Energy, and EPA.
The site for Pilot Project #1 was in a remote, secure location, to assure no public exposure during testing. The site had several identical structures with asbestos-containing building materials to facilitate a side-by-side comparison of the Alternative Asbestos Control Method and the current asbestos control method required method required under the National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants. The buildings had a clearance of approximately 1,000 feet from the nearest occupied site on the eastern side, and far greater than that in all other directions.
Briefly described, the Alternative Asbestos Control Method requires removal of the most friable asbestos-containing materials before demolition, but allows some asbestos containing materials (primarily wall systems) to remain in place, with emissions to be controlled by the addition of amended water.
The most friable asbestos-containing materials are removed under the requirements of the current asbestos control method, required under the National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants, and are disposed of as asbestos-containing wastes. Once the most friable asbestos-containing materials are removed, the demolition proceeds using amended water suppression before, during and after demolition, to trap asbestos fibers and minimize their potential release to the air. Wastewater generated during the demolition is collected, and all contaminated materials are disposed as asbestos-containing waste. In addition, after demolition and removal of demolition materials, a two-inch layer of soil is removed to ensure that no residual asbestos soil contamination remains at the site.
A technical team of EPA scientists and engineers was assembled to conduct a peer review and further refine the project protocol. A site-specific Quality Assurance Project Plan was developed. EPA's Office of Research and Development in conjunction with Region 6 conducted the pilot project. The Office of Science Policy of the Office of Research and Development independently conducted an external peer review of the Quality Assurance Project Plan and obtained peer review and public comment on the final report, in accordance with the Agency's Peer Review Policy.
Additional Site #1 Information
- Map of Fort Chaffee: Large Scale, Small Scale
- Aerial view of project location. The demonstration test site will consist of two to four asbestos-containing buildings at Fort Chaffee. The buildings nearest to the demonstration site are empty.
- Close up Aerial Photo of Structures at Fort Chaffee. The demonstration test site will consist of two to four asbestos-containing buildings at Fort Chaffee. The buildings nearest to the demonstration site are empty.
- Photograph Gallery
Background Information on Project #1
- Under the United States Department of Defense's Base Realignment and Closure Program, approximately 7,000 acres of land out of a total of approximately 71,000 acres were declared excess property and transferred to the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority, a local governmental entity. The Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority was established to develop a set of recommendations for reutilization and development of the remaining property, including removal or disposal of more than 600 World War II-era temporary wood frame buildings comprising about 2 million square feet of floor space. More information about the Fort Chaffee redevelopment plans can be found at their Internet website.
- Asbestos Inspection Report - Buildings 3602 & 3607 (23 Nov 2005) (PDF) (171 pp, 19.8 MB, About PDF)
- Asbestos Abatement Specifications - Building 3602 (Feb 2006) (PDF) (57 pp, 597 KB, About PDF)
- Health and Safety Plan (Nov 2005) (PDF) (78 pp, 296 KB, About PDF)
- Kidde NF3000 Wetting Agent Description and Material Safety Data Sheet (PDF) (10 pp, 199 KB, About PDF)
- Draft - Comparison of the Alternative Asbestos Control Method and the National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants Method for Demolition of Asbestos-Containing Buildings (PDF) (229 pp, 6.95 MB, About PDF)
- The Peer Review on the Comparison of the Alternative Asbestos Control Method and the National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants Method for the Demolition of Asbestos-Containing Buildings (PDF) (169 pp, 685 KB, About PDF)
- EPA Response to Comments: Report on the Workshop to Peer Review EPA's Draft Report: Comparison of the Alternative Asbestos Control Method and the National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants Method for Demolition of Asbestos-Containing Buildings (PDF) (57 pp, 342 KB, About PDF)
- The report reviewer summary remarks are in Section 9 of the Alternative Asbestos Control Method Peer Review Report (pages 73-76). These closing remarks reflect the final positions of the reviewers after two days of discourse on the topics. A smaller file has been created for people interested in these highlights (PDF) (4 pp, 38 KB, About PDF)
- Final Quality Assurance Project Plan (31 Mar 2006) (PDF) (143 pp, 3 MB, About PDF)
- Comparison of the Alternative Asbestos Control Method and the National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants Method for Demolition of Asbestos-Containing Buildings - Final Report (PDF) (229 pp, 7.15 MB, About PDF)
- Comparison of the Alternative Asbestos Control Method and the National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants Method for Demolition of Asbestos-Containing Buildings - Executive Summary (PDF) (7 pp, 908 KB, About PDF)