Asbestos Regulations :

Asbestos Regulations

The federal government develops regulations and recommendations to protect public health. Regulations can be enforced by law. Federal agencies that develop regulations for toxic substances include the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Recommendations provide valuable guidelines to protect public health but cannot be enforced by law. Federal organizations that develop recommendations for toxic substances include the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

Regulations and recommendations can be expressed in not-to-exceed levels in air, water, soil, or food that are usually based on levels that affect animals; then they are adjusted to help protect people. Sometimes these not-to-exceed levels differ among federal organizations because of different exposure times (an 8-hour workday or a 24-hour day), the use of different animal studies, or other factors.

Recommendations and regulations are also periodically updated as more information becomes available. For the most current information, check with the federal agency or organization that provides it. Some regulations and recommendations for asbestos include the following:

The federal government has taken a number of steps to protect citizens from exposure to asbestos. First, on July 12, 1989, EPA established a ban on new uses of asbestos. Uses established before this date are still allowable. Second, EPA has established regulations that require school systems to inspect for asbestos and, if damaged asbestos is found, to eliminate or reduce the exposure, either by removing the asbestos or by covering it up so it cannot get into the air. In addition, EPA provides guidance and support for reducing asbestos exposure in other public buildings. Third, EPA regulates the release of asbestos from factories and during building demolition or renovation to prevent asbestos from getting into the environment. EPA also regulates the disposal of waste asbestos materials or products, requiring these to be placed only in approved locations. Fourth, EPA has proposed a limit of 7 million fibers per liter on the concentration of long fibers (length greater than or equal to 5 µm) that may be present in drinking water. Fifth, FDA regulates the use of asbestos in the preparation of drugs and restricts the use of asbestos in food-packaging materials.

NIOSH has recommended that inhalation exposures not exceed 100,000 fibers with lengths greater than or equal to 5 µm per m³ of air (0.1 fibers/mL). OSHA has established an enforceable limit on the average 8-hour daily concentration of asbestos allowed in air in the workplace to be 100,000 fibers with lengths greater than or equal to 5 µm per m³ of air (0.1 fibers/mL). Additional sources of information about asbestos are the 10 regional offices of the EPA. Most EPA regional offices have an asbestos coordinator.