As you might know, asbestos may be found in insulation, construction materials, siding, roofing or caulking--even today, due to historic use of asbestos in construction. Therefore, when demolition or renovation work occurs in such buildings, there is a risk of asbestos becoming released to the environment, which has both environmental and human health impacts. In the case of the environment, recall that the Clean Air Act gave rise to regulatory programs aimed at enhancing the quality of air in the U.S., and one these programs was the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs). NESHAPs has a standard for asbestos, which covers the management and monitoring requirements during the demolition of asbestos-containing materials (ACM). In addition, human health with respect to asbestos in the workplace is addressed by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration’s standard for worker protection.
Please continue on to discussions in the expanded content section of the virtual tour for asbestos and air emissions at the campus power plant to learn more.