Search Frequent Questions

Displaying 76 - 90 of 113 results

• Please define the term "nonfriable suspected ACBM." Also, what does the term "manner sufficient to determine" mean with respect to sampling such material under the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA)?

  Nonfriable suspected asbestos-containing building material (ACBM) means suspected surfacing asbestos-containing material (ACM), thermal system insulation ACM, or miscellaneous ACM that is found in or on the interior structural members or other parts of a school building and that when dry, cannot be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand…

  • Last published: April 24, 2024

• What training is the designated person required to have?

  A local education agency (LEA) is required to designate a person to ensure that all LEA responsibilities and/or requirements are properly implemented (40 CFR part 763.84(g)(1)). The LEA’s designated person is not required to be “accredited” as the term is used in the asbestos in schools rule; nonetheless, he or…

  • Last published: May 7, 2024

• Many local education agencies (LEAs) intend to select certain person(s) who are permanent employees of the district to become accredited asbestos professionals under the Asbestos-containing Materials in Schools Rule. Does EPA see this as a problem?

  Generally, no. The conflict-of-interest provision in the asbestos-containing materials in schools rule, which merely requires LEAs to “consider” conflict of interest issues, primarily pertains to outside contractors who serve in two or more capacities (see rule preamble discussion at 52 FR 41836). LEAs retain the option of using their own…

  • Last published: May 30, 2024

• My firm is not certified and does not employ a certified renovator. If we are asked to perform a renovation in a pre-1978 home, we test for lead using an EPA-recognized lead test kit. Can we perform these lead tests without being a certified renovator?

  No. When performing a renovation in a pre-1978 home, a firm is exempted from the requirements of the Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule if a determination has been made that the surfaces affected by the renovation are free of paint or other surface coatings that contain lead equal…

  • Last published: November 4, 2024

• How can I tell if my home contains lead-based paint?

  Answer: The older your home, the more likely it contains lead-based paint. For example, 87% of homes built before 1940 have some lead-based paint, while 24% of homes built between 1960 and 1978 have some lead-based paint. Lead-based paint may be present in private single-family homes or apartments, government-assisted, or…

  • Last published: November 5, 2024

• Under the Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule, when testing a property for the presence of lead prior to beginning a renovation using an EPA-recognized lead test kit, must I test every component affected by the renovation?

  Yes. Certified renovators using EPA-recognized lead test kits to determine the applicability of the RRP Rule must test each and every component that will be affected in order to determine that the RRP Rule does not apply to a particular renovation because certified renovator training does not cover sampling protocols…

  • Last published: November 5, 2024

• The lead information pamphlet titled "Renovate Right" states there is a kit consumers can use to collect samples to send to a lab if they suspect any lead hazards have been left after a renovation. Do samples like these need to be taken by certified abatement personnel or a dust sampling technician?

  No. When all the work is finished, you may want to know if your home, child care facility, or school has been cleaned up properly. One way to check is a lead-dust test. Lead-dust tests are wipe samples sent to a laboratory for analysis. You have the choice of having…

  • Last published: November 21, 2024

• Does the Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule apply to work on windows that have been installed within the last 20 years in a pre-1978 housing unit?

  The RRP Rule applies unless you have determined that all the components affected by the renovation, including the windows, are free of paint or other surface coatings that contain lead equal to or in excess of 1.0 milligrams per square centimeter (mg/cm 2 ) or 0.5% by weight. This determination…

  • Last published: November 21, 2024

• When a certified renovator uses an EPA-recognized lead test kit or performs paint chip sampling to determine the presence of lead, can the results be grouped?

  No. The certified renovator must test each component affected by the renovation. If the components make up an integrated whole, such as the individual stair treads and risers of a single staircase, the renovator is required to test only one of the individual components, unless the individual components appear to…

  • Last published: November 21, 2024

• My school district will be performing asbestos abatement in a kindergarten classroom that was built before 1978. Do the asbestos abatement workers also need to comply with the RRP rule? 

  Yes, if the asbestos abatement disrupts over six square feet of painted surface per room in an interior, or over 20 square feet of painted surface on an exterior, or involves window replacement or demolition of painted surfaces. If so, the asbestos abatement will need to be performed by a…

  • Last published: January 29, 2025

• Can a local education agency (LEA) designate a committee instead of one person to coordinate asbestos programs for an LEA?

  No. Section 763.84(g)(1) requires each LEA to designate “a person” (i.e., an individual). The name, address, and telephone number of the person designated under 40 CFR part 763.84 to ensure that the duties of the local education agency are carried out must appear in the management plan (40 CFR part…

  • Last published: March 15, 2024

• Are schools supposed to notify parents if their child attends a school that has asbestos in it?

  Yes. The asbestos-containing materials in schools rule, pursuant to the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), requires local education agencies (e.g., school districts) to notify building workers (including teachers) and parents annually regarding asbestos-related activities such as asbestos inspections, and response actions (abatement). The local education agency must also annually…

  • Last published: March 15, 2024

• Does my school district know where the asbestos in its school buildings is located?

  They are required to know and to describe where the material is located in the asbestos management plan, and also to monitor and record any change in its condition that might pose a potential safety risk. Other Frequent Questions about Asbestos Learn About Asbestos Asbestos and School Buildings Information for…

  • Last published: March 15, 2024

• Are the school district's administrative offices (such as the Board of Education or the Superintendent's Office) covered by the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), even if students never attend classes in these buildings?

  Yes. Among the structures covered in the definition of “school building” in AHERA (section 202) and in the asbestos in schools rule (40 CFR part 763.83) are "... any other facility used for the instruction or housing of students or for the administration of education or research programs." Other Frequent…

  • Last published: March 15, 2024

• Are private for-profit schools included under the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA)?

  No. Private for-profit schools are not covered under AHERA. This is a statutory exemption. Other Frequent Questions about Asbestos Learn About Asbestos Asbestos and School Buildings Information for Owners and Managers of Buildings that Contain Asbestos Protect Your Family from Exposures to Asbestos Asbestos Contaminated Vermiculite Insulation

  • Last published: March 21, 2024