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IDEM > Your Environment > Asbestos > Asbestos Compliance Asbestos Compliance

Why Do You Need to be Concerned About Asbestos? Comparison

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fiber that has been used in a wide variety of building materials to help insulate and reduce heat. The heat resistant properties and fiber strength of asbestos allow it to be used in a wide range of building products including but not limited to boiler/tank insulation, pipe insulation, spray-applied fireproofing, roofing shingles, cementatious siding, plaster, ceiling and floor tiles.

When an asbestos containing product is disturbed or damaged, asbestos fibers become airborne and may be inhaled into the lungs. The inhalation of asbestos fibers can result in significant health effects. Asbestos is a known carcinogen.

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) Asbestos Program conducts compliance inspections, licenses companies and individuals directly involved with asbestos abatement, and audits licensed asbestos training course providers. These services are conducted to protect human health, the environment, and the quality of asbestos-related work conducted in the State of Indiana.

Asbestos Removal Requirements for Demolition or Renovation Activities

Demolition & Renovation: What's the Difference?

Demolition is the wrecking or taking out of any load-supporting beam wall or structures from a facility or the intentional burning of any facility for fire training. Renovation is the altering of a facility or one (1) or more of a facility's components in any way, including the stripping or removal of regulated asbestos-containing material (RACM) from a facility component.

General Requirements

All facilities scheduled for renovation or demolition must be inspected by an Indiana-licensed asbestos inspector prior to the start of any renovation or demolition activities for the presence of asbestos. The State of Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) provides an online tool to locate an Indiana licensed asbestos building inspector. When using the tool:

  1. Click on “Get Started”
  2. Under Profession, highlight “Asbestos”
  3. Under License, Type highlight “Asbestos Inspector"
  4. Under Status, highlight “Active”
  5. Click on the Search button

Scroll through the list and locate an inspector by city in your geographical area. To obtain the individual’s telephone number click on his or her name and the telephone number is located in the address block.

If a renovation or demolition project involves only a single isolated residential building that has four (4) or fewer dwelling units, then no inspection is necessary. (Note: Intentionally dividing a project's scope of work to qualify for this residential exemption is a violation of IDEM and U.S. EPA rules.)

Renovation or demolition projects must be performed in accordance with the proper notification (Notification of Demolition and Renovation Operations, State Form 44593 -- available on the IDEM Forms page), and emission control requirements (see article 14) for asbestos.

Regulated demolition activities require notification to IDEM, regardless of whether the inspection reveals the presence of asbestos. A written notification is required for renovation activities that involve stripping, removing, cutting, drilling, or similarly dislodging/disturbing a minimum of 260 linear feet, 160 Square feet or 35 cubic feet of regulated asbestos containing material (RACM). Renovation projects involving less than the aforementioned amounts do not require a notification. Renovation projects involving the stripping, removing, cutting, drilling, or similarly dislodging/disturbing of greater than 3 linear feet, 3 square feet or 0.75 cubic feet of RACM must be conducted by an Indiana licensed asbestos abatement contractor. The contractor must utilize Indiana licensed asbestos abatement supervisors and workers and all emission control requirements would apply.

Notification Requirements

To meet the notification requirement, a completed Notification of Demolition and Renovation Operations (State Form 44593 -- available on the IDEM Forms page), must be submitted to IDEM. Renovation notifications must be postmarked or delivered to IDEM at least 10 working days before asbestos stripping, removal work, or any other activity, such as site preparation, begins that would break up, dislodge, or similarly disturb asbestos containing material. Demolition notifications must also be submitted 10 working days prior to the removal of any load supporting structural member of a facility together with any related handling operations or the intentional burning of any facility.

The notice must include, but is not limited to the following:

  • Contact information of facility owner/operator, and the Indiana licensed asbestos abatement (renovation) contractor demolition contractor;
  • Location of the facility to be demolished or renovated;
  • Type of operation: demolition, demolition by intentional burning, ordered demolition, renovation, emergency renovation;
  • Description of the facility or affected part of the facility, including the size in square feet, number of floors, age, and present and prior use of the facility;
  • Scheduled starting and completion dates for renovation or demolition;
  • Description of the techniques and methods that will be used for demolition or renovation activities; and,
  • The name, address, phone number, and license number of the person who inspected the facility for RACM.

If asbestos is found where the demolition or renovation activity will occur, in most instances, the operator of the activity must provide the notification information above as well as additional information, some of which may include (but not limited to):

  • Estimate of the approximate amount of RACM to be removed in the facility;
  • Description of work practices and engineering controls to be used to ensure proper RACM removal and proper waste handling and control;
  • Name and location of the waste disposal site where the asbestos-containing waste material will be deposited; and,
  • A signed certification from the owner or operator that the information provided in the notification is correct and that only Indiana Licensed workers and project supervisors will be used to implement the asbestos removal project.
Notification Guidance
  • Notification of Demolition and Renovation Operations (State Form 44593 -- available on the IDEM Forms page)
Notification Submission

The completed notification form can be submitted to IDEM:

Indiana Department of Environmental Management
Office of Air Quality
100 North Senate Avenue MC 61-52
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2251

Fax: (317) 233-3257

What to Expect

Submitted notifications are reviewed for timeliness/completeness and if the notices are not timely/complete, a violation letter may be sent to the individual who submitted the notice. If the submitter is not contacted, they should consider the notification accepted by IDEM.

Billing

Anyone submitting a notification involving the removal of RACM will be billed a fee based upon the amount of friable asbestos containing material to be removed. Projects that involve the removal of more than 2,600 linear feet, or 1,600 square feet, or 400 cubic feet of friable asbestos containing material, will be billed a fee of $150 per project. Projects requiring the removal of RACM below these amounts will be billed a fee of $50 per project. Demolition projects will also be billed $50 per structure being demolished. All notification submitters will be billed by IDEM on a quarterly basis.

Rules

The specific details of emission control requirements, which vary depending on the type and condition of asbestos present, the activity undertaken, and the disposal method of the asbestos, are outlined in 326 IAC 14-10 as well as those in Code of Federal Regulation Title 40 CFR 61, Subpart M (61.140 - 61.157).

Homeowner Exemption

Individual homeowners are exempt from notification and removal requirements, but are still required to meet all disposal requirements. Residential dwellings with more than four (4) units are not exempt and must comply with the asbestos demolition and renovation requirements.

Asbestos Compliance

Some of the Things an Owner/Operator of an Asbestos Removal Project Must do to Comply with the Asbestos Emissions Control Standards Include (but are not limited to):

While the specific requirements and standards for proper emission control of asbestos demolition and renovation operations may differ depending on the reason/cause for demolition or renovation and on the amount and type of asbestos found at the site, much of the following will apply:

  • Remove all regulated asbestos containing material (RACM) from the 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 from subsequent removal;
  • Ensure that all RACM exposed during removal is adequately wetted or provide alternatives to control asbestos emissions, such as a local exhaust ventilation and collection system;
  • After wetting, all asbestos-containing waste material shall be sealed in leak tight packaging while wet and shall be labeled and disposed of properly;
  • For any stripped or removed friable asbestos-containing materials (asbestos or asbestos containing materials that are readily crumbled, and therefore capable of becoming airborne) that are left at the facility or stored elsewhere prior to disposal, store such material in a secure manner so that it cannot be vandalized or otherwise disturbed; and,
  • Asbestos projects implemented in Indiana facilities must be done by an Indiana licensed Asbestos Abatement Contractor. The State of Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) provides an online tool to locate an Indiana licensed asbestos abatement contractor. When using the tool:
    1. Click on “Get Started”
    2. Click on “search for a Facility, Business, Salon, Corporation, etc.”
    3. Under Profession, highlight “Asbestos”
    4. Under License Type, highlight “Asbestos Contractor”
    5. Under Status, highlight “Active”
    6. Click on the Search button
    7. Scroll through the list and locate an asbestos abatement contractor by city in your geographical area.
    8. To obtain the contractor’s telephone number, click on the company name and the telephone number located in the address block.

Some of the Things an Owner/Operator of an Asbestos Removal Project Must Do to Comply with Disposal Requirements include (but are not limited to):

Non asbestos-containing material and limited nonfriable asbestos (asbestos that has a low probability of becoming airborne if disturbed) containing material may be disposed of by normal means, such as in a construction demolition landfill. However, RACM is subject to special disposal requirements such as:

Who May Need A License to Conduct an Asbestos Removal Project?

  • Companies involved in the business of abating RACM must obtain a contractor’s license from IDEM and become an Indiana Licensed Asbestos Abatement Contractor.
  • Individuals involved with abating RACM, inspecting for RACM, or conducting management planning activities must obtain an individual license from IDEM and become an Indiana Licensed Asbestos Abatement Worker, Supervisor, Inspector or Management Planner.
  • Licensed asbestos abatement contractors engaging in asbestos removal projects are encouraged to contact the local health department with jurisdiction to ensure that any local ordinances governing asbestos abatement are being followed.

For Additional Information

To learn more about asbestos removal, handling, emission control requirements, asbestos licensing, asbestos training course providers or if you have an asbestos notification billing question, call (888) 574-8150. Ask to speak to an asbestos compliance person, an asbestos licensing person, or asbestos billing personnel. You may also email your questions to "info at idem.in.gov".

For more information on proper asbestos waste disposal, contact the Office of Land Quality at via phone at (800) 451-6027 and ask to speak to a special waste inspector. You may also email your questions to "info at idem.in.gov".

For information on the protection of employees from airborne asbestos in the workplace, contact the Indiana Department of Labor: Bureau of Safety, Education, and Training (BuSET) via phone at (317) 232-2688 and ask to speak with a Consulting Industrial Hygienist.

Asbestos Technical Guidance Documents

The following asbestos non-rule policy documents are also available:

Additional information is also available in the Asbestos Removal: Licensing Requirements section of the IDEM Permit Guide.

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