Renovation & Demolition
Asbestos Requirements for Owners and Operators

The AQMD's Field Operations staff inspects residential, commercial, and industrial facilities undergoing demolition or renovation to ensure the proper handling of asbestos containing materials. Demolition and renovation activities are governed by AQMD Rule 902, Asbestos, and the federal NESHAP - 40 CFR § 61.140, et. seq.  Click here for information about naturally-occurring asbestos.

Page Contents
	Information about Asbestos in Building Materials
	Asbestos Regulations
	Sources of Information on Asbestos and Asbestos Regulation
	Asbestos Compliance Assistance Brochure rev. 2007 (PDF 2 Mb)
	Asbestos Abatement Notification Form rev. 2004 (PDF)
	AQMD Memo on Fire Department Training Burn Requirements rev. 2004 (PDF)
	CARB EPA Advisory on Fire Department Training Burn Requirements 2001 (PDF)

Asbestos is a natural mineral fiber that was once commonly used in building materials. Inhaling airborne asbestos fibers can increase the risk of developing certain lung diseases, including lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis. Your physician can provide more information regarding the degree of risk associated with exposure to asbestos fibers.

Many building materials can contain asbestos. Remodel and repair activity in residential and commercial structures which disturbs asbestos-containing materials may cause the release of asbestos fibers into the air. There is no known health threat if asbestos-containing materials are in generally good condition and are left undisturbed.

There are two types of asbestos containing material:

• Friable Asbestos-Containing Materials - contain over 1% asbestos and can be crumbled, crushed or reduced to powder by hand pressure when dry. Common examples of friable asbestos-containing materials are spray acoustic ceilings, acoustic tiles, plaster, pipe and duct wrap, and paper backing of linoleum.
• Non-friable Asbestos-Containing Materials - are typically bound up with cement, vinyl, asphalt or some other type of hard binder. Some examples of non-friable asbestos building materials are cement/transite siding, vinyl floor tiles and stucco. Non-friable asbestos-containing material may become friable if it is crushed, crumbled, pulverized, or subjected to sanding, drilling, grinding, cutting, or abrading.

Friable asbestos-containing material and non-friable asbestos-containing material that will be made friable during renovation or demolition or renovation are subject to regulation and are referred to collectively as Regulated Asbestos-Containing Material or RACM.

Important Note: the failure to comply with Rule 902 and/or federal regulations respecting asbestos may result in a Notice of Violation being issued by the AQMD and civil penalties under state and/or federal law, in addition to possible action by U.S. EPA under federal law.

Federal law covers a number of different activities involving asbestos:

• Demolition and renovation of structures 40 CFR § 61.145)
• Asbestos Mills (40 CFR § 61.142)
• Use of Asbestos on Roadways (40 CFR § 61.143)
• Manufacturing Asbestos-Containing Products (40 CFR § 61.144)
• Spraying Asbestos-Containing Products (40 CFR § 61.146)
• Fabricating Asbestos-Containing Products (40 CFR § 61.147)
• Asbestos-Containing Insulating Materials (40 CFR § 61.148)
• Disposal of Asbestos-Containing Waste (40 CFR § 61.149-150)
• Waste Disposal Sites that accept Asbestos (40 CFR § 61.151-154)

Federal regulations are available on the Internet at the Government Printing Office web site.

AQMD Rule 902, Asbestos (PDF 184 Kb) covers the following:

Rule 902 and Residential Structures

Most renovation or demolition projects of residential structures are exempt from Rule 902. Generally, if the structure has four or fewer units, the renovation or demolition is not subject to Rule 902. However, if your renovation or demolition is a result of a commercial, public works, or eminent domain project, these exemptions will not apply and you will be subject to applicable administrative and work practice requirements of Rule 902. If your project is the renovation or demolition of 5 or more residential units, Rule 902 also applies.

If you are unsure if Rule 902 applies to the renovation or demolition of a residential structure, you should contact an asbestos consultant or call the AQMD.

Be aware that other agencies, such as Cal OSHA, have additional regulations that apply to asbestos removal in residential structures. If you have questions regarding which regulations apply to your project, the AQMD advises you to contact Cal OSHA or an asbestos consultant.

Rule 902 and Commercial Structures

The work practices and administrative requirements of Rule 902 apply to all commercial renovations and demolitions where the amount of Regulated Asbestos-Containing Material (RACM) is greater than:

• 260 lineal feet of RACM on pipes, or
• 160 square feet of RACM on other facility components, or
• 35 cubic feet of RACM that could not be measured otherwise.

The administrative requirements of Rule 902 apply to any demolition of commercial structures, regardless of the amount of RACM.

Asbestos Surveys

To determine the amount of RACM in a structure, Rule 902 requires that a survey be conducted prior to demolition or renovation unless:

• the structure is otherwise exempt from the rule, or
• any material that has a propensity to contain asbestos (so-called "suspect material") is treated as if it is RACM.

Surveys must be done by a licensed asbestos consultant and require laboratory analysis. Asbestos consultants are listed in the phone book under "Asbestos Consultants." Large industrial facilities may use non-licensed employees if those employees are trained by the U.S. EPA. Questions regarding the use of non-licensed employees should be directed to the AQMD.

Removal Practices, Removal Plans/Notification and Disposal

If the survey shows that there is asbestos-containing materials present, the AQMD recommends leaving it alone.

If it is necessary to disturb the asbestos as part of a renovation, remodel, repair or demolition, Cal OSHA and the Contractors State License Board require a licensed asbestos abatement contractor be used to remove the asbestos-containing material. You should not attempt to remove the asbestos-containing materials yourself. These professionals are trained in the regulations, techniques and equipment necessary for a safe and legal removal job. Asbestos abatement contractors are listed in the phone book under "Asbestos." The Contractors State License Board also has information about hiring contractors.

There are specific disposal requirements in Rule 902 for friable asbestos-containing material, including disposal at a licensed landfill. If the material is non-friable asbestos, any landfill willing to accept asbestos-containing material may be used to dispose of the material.

Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (work practice and notification)
777 12th Street, 3rd Floor.
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 874-4800

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX (federal regulations, work practices, disposal)
75 Hawthorne St.
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 744-1500
www.epa.gov

Cal OSHA (worker safety and contractor complaints and asbestos consultants)
2424 Arden Way
Sacramento, CA 95825
(916) 263-2800
(916) 263-2855
(916) 574-2993
www.dir.ca.gov

Contractors State License Board (licensing and contractor complaints)
9835 Goethe Rd.
P.O. Box 26000
Sacramento, CA 95826
(916) 255-3900 (licensing questions and license status)
(916) 255-4450 (complaints)
www.cslb.ca.gov

Cal EPA (transportation of waste)
555 Capitol Mall
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 327-1848 (toxics help desk)
www.calepa.ca.gov

Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (landfill information)
3443 Routier Rd.
Sacramento, CA 95827
(916) 255-3000
www.swrcb.ca.gov/~rwqcb5/

Breathe California of Sacramento-Emigrant Trails (health effects)
909 12th Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 444-5900
www.saclung.org