What is NESHAP Program

Asbestos National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) Program protects the public health from exposure to regulated asbestos-containing material (RACM) during NESHAP facility renovation/demolition activities, asbestos removal, transport and disposal, as Asbestos is known to cause cancer and respiratory diseases. 

The program requires proper notification and asbestos emissions controls for the following activities:

  • Milling of asbestos
  • Commercial manufacturing of products that contain commercial asbestos
  • Demolition of all facilities, even though it may not contain asbestos
  • Renovation of facilities that contain friable asbestos-containing materials
  • Spraying of asbestos-containing materials
  • Processing (fabricating) of any manufactured products that contain asbestos
  • Use of insulating materials that contain commercial asbestos
  • Disposal of asbestos-containing waste generated during milling, manufacturing, renovation, demolition, spraying, and fabricating operations
  • Active waste disposal sites
  • Closure and maintenance of inactive waste disposal sites
  • Operation of and reporting on facilities that convert asbestos-containing waste material into non-asbestos material
  • Design and operation of air cleaning devices
  • Reporting of information pertaining to process control equipment, filter devices, asbestos generating process, etc.

Does your project require a NESHAP Notication Form? | View NESHAP Regulations >

Asbestos NESHAP Enforcement Agencies

Under Section 112 of the Clean Air Act (CAA), Congress gave the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the responsibility under Section 112 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) to enforce regulations relating to asbestos renovations and demolitions activities. The CAA allows the EPA to delegate this authority to state and local agencies. Even after the EPA delegates responsibility to a state or local agency, the EPA retains authority to oversee agency performance and to enforce the Asbestos NESHAP regulations as necessary by the following:

  • Federal Level - The EPA Region 9 Asbestos NESHAP coordinator has sole jurisdiction over all 25 tribal lands in Arizona. Some tribes have delgbated authority from the EPA to enforce the asbestos NESHAP within their tribal boundaries.
  • State Level - ADEQ's Asbestos NESHAP Program does not have any additional requirements apart from the federal standard, however, ADEQ maintains notification forms for renovation and demolition activities for jurisdictional counties. Notification Form for Renovation and Demolition Activities Asbestos NESHAP Checklist Renovation/Demolition Operations Asbestos NESHAP Checklist Waste Disposal Site Operations
  • County level - These counties have delegated authority from the EPA to enforce the Asbestos NESHAP within their respective jurisdictional boundaries, excluding tribal lands, and have additional requirements above and beyond the federal Asbestos NESHAP Standard.