15 USC 2643 - EPA regulations

U.S Code last checked for updates: Nov 22, 2024

§ 2643.

EPA regulations

(a)

In general

(b)

Inspection

(c)

Circumstances requiring response actions

(1)

The Administrator shall promulgate regulations which define the appropriate response action in a school building under the authority of a local educational agency in at least the following circumstances:

(A)

Damage

(B)

Significant damage

(C)

Potential damage

Circumstances in which—

(i)

friable asbestos-containing material is in an area regularly used by building occupants, including maintenance personnel, in the course of their normal activities, and

(ii)

there is a reasonable likelihood that the material or its covering will become damaged, deteriorated, or delaminated.

(D)

Potential significant damage

Circumstances in which—

(i)

friable asbestos-containing material is in an area regularly used by building occupants, including maintenance personnel, in the course of their normal activities, and

(ii)

there is a reasonable likelihood that the material or its covering will become significantly damaged, deteriorated, or delaminated.

(2)

In promulgating such regulations, the Administrator shall consider and assess the value of various technologies intended to improve the decisionmaking process regarding response actions and the quality of any work that is deemed necessary, including air monitoring and chemical encapsulants.

(d)

Response actions

(1)

In general

(2)

Response action for damaged asbestos

(3)

Response action for significantly damaged asbestos

(4)

Response action for potentially damaged asbestos

(5)

Response action for potentially significantly damaged asbestos

(6)

“Preventive measures” defined

(7)

EPA information or advisory

The Administrator shall, not later than 30 days after November 28, 1990, publish and distribute to all local education agencies and State Governors information or an advisory to—

(A)

facilitate public understanding of the comparative risks associated with in-place management of asbestos-containing building materials and removals;

(B)

promote the least burdensome response actions necessary to protect human health, safety, and the environment; and

(C)

describe the circumstances in which asbestos removal is necessary to protect human health.

Such information or advisory shall be based on the best available scientific evidence and shall be revised, republished, and redistributed as appropriate, to reflect new scientific findings.

(e)

Implementation

The Administrator shall promulgate regulations requiring the implementation of response actions in school buildings under the authority of a local educational agency and, where appropriate, for the determination of when a response action is completed. Such regulations shall include standards for the education and protection of both workers and building occupants for the following phases of activity:

(1)

Inspection.

(2)

Response Action.2

 So in original. Probably should not be capitalized.

(3)

Post-response action, including any periodic reinspection of asbestos-containing material and long-term surveillance activity.

(f)

Operations and maintenance

(g)

Periodic surveillance

The Administrator shall promulgate regulations to require the following:

(1)

An identification of the location of friable and non-friable asbestos in a school building under the authority of a local educational agency.

(2)

Provisions for surveillance and periodic reinspection of such friable and non-friable asbestos.

(3)

Provisions for education of school employees, including school service and maintenance personnel, about the location of and safety procedures with respect to such friable and non-friable asbestos.

(h)

Transportation and disposal

(i)

Management plans

(1)

In general

The Administrator shall promulgate regulations which require each local educational agency to develop an asbestos management plan for school buildings under its authority, to begin implementation of such plan within 990 days after October 22, 1986, and to complete implementation of such plan in a timely fashion. The regulations shall require that each plan include the following elements, wherever relevant to the school building:

(A)

An inspection statement describing inspection and response action activities carried out before October 22, 1986.

(B)

A description of the results of the inspection conducted pursuant to regulations under subsection (b), including a description of the specific areas inspected.

(C)

A detailed description of measures to be taken to respond to any friable asbestos-containing material pursuant to the regulations promulgated under subsections (c), (d), and (e), including the location or locations at which a response action will be taken, the method or methods of response action to be used, and a schedule for beginning and completing response actions.

(D)

A detailed description of any asbestos-containing material which remains in the school building once response actions are undertaken pursuant to the regulations promulgated under subsections (c), (d), and (e).

(E)

A plan for periodic reinspection and long-term surveillance activities developed pursuant to regulations promulgated under subsection (g), and a plan for operations and maintenance activities developed pursuant to regulations promulgated under subsection (f).

(F)

With respect to the person or persons who inspected for asbestos-containing material and who will design or carry out response actions with respect to the friable asbestos-containing material, one of the following statements:

(i)

If the State has adopted a contractor accreditation plan under section 2646(b) of this title, a statement that the person (or persons) is accredited under such plan.

(ii)

A statement that the local educational agency used (or will use) persons who have been accredited by another State which has adopted a contractor accreditation plan under section 2646(b) of this title or is accredited pursuant to an Administrator-approved course under section 2646(c) of this title.

(G)

A list of the laboratories that analyzed any bulk samples of asbestos-containing material found in the school building or air samples taken to detect asbestos in the school building and a statement that each laboratory has been accredited pursuant to the accreditation program under section 2646(d) of this title.

(H)

With respect to each consultant who contributed to the management plan, the name of the consultant and one of the following statements:

(i)

If the State has adopted a contractor accreditation plan under section 2646(b) of this title, a statement that the consultant is accredited under such plan.

(ii)

A statement that the contractor is accredited by another State which has adopted a contractor accreditation plan under section 2646(b) of this title or is accredited pursuant to an Administrator-approved course under section 2646(c) of this title.

(I)

An evaluation of resources needed to successfully complete response actions and carry out reinspection, surveillance, and operation and maintenance activities.

(2)

Statement by contractor

(3)

Warning labels

(A)

The regulations shall require that each local educational agency which has inspected for and discovered any asbestos-containing material with respect to a school building shall attach a warning label to any asbestos-containing material still in routine maintenance areas (such as boiler rooms) of the school building, including—

(i)

friable asbestos-containing material which was responded to by a means other than removal, and

(ii)

asbestos-containing material for which no response action was carried out.

(B)

The warning label shall read, in print which is readily visible because of large size or bright color, as follows: “CAUTION: ASBESTOS. HAZARDOUS. DO NOT DISTURB WITHOUT PROPER TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT.”

(4)

Plan may be submitted in stages

(5)

Public availability

(6)

Submission to State Governor

(j)

Changes in regulations

(k)

Changes in guidance document

(l)

Treatment of Department of Defense schools

(1)

Secretary to act in lieu of Governor

(2)

Regulations

(m)

Waiver

(Pub. L. 94–469, title II, § 203, as added Pub. L. 99–519, § 2, Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2972; amended Pub. L. 101–637, § 13, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4593.)

cite as: 15 USC 2643