Glossary
NESHAP
Also: National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants
EPA's air-toxics rule. For asbestos work, NESHAP at 40 CFR 61 Subpart M governs notification, work practices, and waste disposal for renovations and demolitions.
NESHAP stands for National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants. The rule covers many pollutants; for abatement and demolition contractors, the relevant subpart is 40 CFR 61 Subpart M (the Asbestos NESHAP).
Subpart M imposes three core obligations:
-
Notification. The owner or operator of a renovation or demolition activity must notify the delegated authority (typically the state environmental agency or EPA region) at least 10 working days before the activity begins. Renovation notifications are required when the regulated asbestos-containing material to be disturbed meets or exceeds 260 linear feet, 160 square feet, or 35 cubic feet. Demolitions require notification regardless of asbestos quantity.
-
Work practice standards. RACM must be adequately wet during stripping, removed in intact units where feasible, kept wet until disposal, and handled to minimize fiber release. The standard names a competent person to supervise.
-
Waste disposal. RACM and asbestos-contaminated waste must be sealed in leak-tight containers, labeled, transported by a permitted transporter, and disposed at a facility that accepts asbestos. A waste shipment record tracks the chain of custody.
The rule applies to commercial and residential structures alike. Delegation to states means the actual notification form and filing system varies; the EPA rule sets the floor.