Pre-Demolition Removal Guidelines for Asbestos

Except for the following, NESHAP guidelines require that each owner or operator of an asbestos demolition or renovation activity involving RACM remove all such material from a facility being demolished or renovated before any activity begins that would break up, dislodge, or similarly disturb the material or preclude access to the material for subsequent removal.

(i) Is a Category I non-friable ACM that is not friable;

(ii) Is on a facility component that is encased in concrete or other similarly hard material and is adequately wet whenever exposed during demolition;

(iii) Was not accessible for testing and therefore was not discovered until after demolition began and, as a result of the demolition, cannot be safely removed. If not removed for safety reasons the exposed RACM, and any asbestos-contaminated debris, must be treated as asbestos-containing waste material and kept adequately wet at all times until disposed of;

(iv) Is a Category II non-friable ACM and the probability is low that the material will become crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder during demolition.