EPA NESHAP for asbestos (40 CFR 61 Subpart M).

Official rule: 40 CFR 61 Subpart M on ecfr.gov.

What it covers

Renovation and demolition activities involving regulated asbestos-containing material (RACM). NESHAP is delegated to most states; the state environmental agency typically administers the rule, but the underlying federal requirements apply everywhere. See how each state administers asbestos notification and licensing.

The notification trigger

• Demolitions: notification required regardless of asbestos quantity, including for demolitions of structures that contain no asbestos.
• Renovations: notification required only if the amount of RACM to be stripped, removed, dislodged, cut, drilled, or similarly disturbed meets or exceeds the threshold:
  • 260 linear feet on pipes,
  • 160 square feet on other facility components,
  • 35 cubic feet off facility components where the length or area could not be measured before stripping.

Notification timing and contents

Notification must be postmarked or delivered at least 10 working days before asbestos stripping or removal work begins. Required contents (from 40 CFR 61.145(b)(4)):

• Owner and operator names and contact information.
• Type of operation (demolition or renovation).
• Description of the facility (size, age, prior use).
• Procedure for asbestos detection.
• Estimated approximate amount of RACM to be removed.
• Scheduled start and completion dates.
• Description of removal and waste-handling work practices.
• Name and location of the waste disposal site.
• Name and address of the waste transporter.
• Name of the trained on-site representative.

Work-practice standards

RACM must be adequately wet during removal and kept wet until collected and contained for disposal. RACM must be removed in intact units to the extent feasible. Mixing of RACM with other debris is prohibited. The work has to be supervised by a person trained in the provisions of the rule.

Waste disposal

• All asbestos-containing waste must be sealed in leak-tight containers (commonly 6-mil polyethylene bags).
• Containers must be labeled with the regulated waste warning per 29 CFR 1910.1001(j)(4).
• Waste shipment record (WSR) tracks the chain of custody from generator to transporter to disposal site.
• Disposal at a facility approved to accept asbestos.
• The generator (typically the contractor) retains the WSR for at least two years.

Inspection before renovation or demolition

Before any renovation or demolition activity, the owner or operator must thoroughly inspect the affected part of the facility for asbestos. This inspection is the basis for the notification's asbestos quantity estimate and for determining whether RACM will be disturbed.

What we do

Nexus tracks the project record from which the NESHAP notification draws, including the pre-renovation inspection, the RACM estimate, the work-practice plan, the waste-handling chain, and the on-site representative. See the NESHAP notification workflow.

Related

• OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1101 — Asbestos in Construction
• Asbestos regulations by state (notification windows and licensing for all 50 states + DC)
• Demolition software
• Compliance reporting in Nexus

Last reviewed against the published rule: 2026-05-27. This is a summary, not legal advice. Consult the actual rule and your delegated state authority when making compliance decisions.