Iowa DNR News
Environmental Services Division
For immediate release July 8, 2008
MEDIA CONTACT: Brian Hutchins, Supervisor, Compliance and Ambient Air Monitoring
(515) 281-8448
Asbestos Regulations Apply to Flood and Tornado
Cleanup Areas
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have issued “Asbestos Authorization” and “No Action Assurance” statements for some renovation and demolition
activities in flood and tornado cleanup areas.
Airborne asbestos fibers, which may be released during renovation and demolition of buildings with products that contain the mineral asbestos, expose people in the vicinity to a potential health risk. Breathing
air that contains asbestos fibers can cause the fibers to become embedded in lung tissue and over time may cause serious lung diseases including asbestosis, lung cancer or mesothelioma. Asbestos has been used in a large number of building materials such as
floor tile, linoleum, pipe and boiler insulation, heat duct wrap and joint tape, cementitious transite or slate siding and roofing, asphalt-based roofing and asphalt shingles, ceiling tiles, joint compound, sprayed-on acoustical, decorative texturing and other
materials. Asbestos continues to be used in new construction and can be present in any building or home.
Renovations or demolitions of institutional, commercial, public or industrial installations or buildings, and residential buildings demolished or renovated as part of a commercial,
public, industrial or institutional project are subject to asbestos regulations. Examples include demolishing residential houses for construction of roads, parking lots, apartments, commercial buildings or the demolishing of flood damaged homes as a FEMA, county,
or city project.
The EPA developed regulations to prevent the generation of airborne asbestos during demolition and renovation projects and to protect individuals from asbestos hazards. The regulations are located at 40 CFR
61.145 and 61.150 and can be viewed at DNR’s website http://www.iowadnr.gov/air/prof/asbestos/files/asbestos_regs.pdf
The Asbestos Authorization and No Action Assurance statements apply in specific storm and flood damaged areas. The authorization allows state authorities to waive the 10-day notification
of demolition or renovation if the facility was damaged by the storms and is located in an area that is under a Presidential Disaster Declaration. However, the person responsible for the work shall submit a written notification to the DNR as early as possible
before, but no later than, the work day following the start of the demotion or renovation.The authorization also allows state authorities to waive the inspection requirement for the renovation of a damaged structure if all of the material is treated as asbestos-containing
material. Additionally, the inspection requirement can be waived in a demolition if the building has been declared structurally unsound and in danger of imminent collapse under order of the local officials. In these situations the structure must be assumed
to contain asbestos and handled in accordance with emission control and disposal requirements. The Asbestos Authorization and No Action Assurance letters are posted at http://www.iowadnr.gov/flood.html.
The Asbestos Authorization and No Action Assurance statements provide relief from the notification and inspection requirements as outlined above, but in no way relieve the owner or operator of other asbestos requirements
such as keeping the material wet at all times, having a trained supervisor on site, and disposing the material properly.
For questions on asbestos regulations, contact Tom Wuehr or Marion Burnside at the DNR Air Quality Bureau at 515-242-5100.
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Written by Mindy Kralicek
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