Techno Bits/Technical Bulletins

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) continues its efforts to develop Massachusetts Contingency Plan (MCP) regulations that will establish risk-based reporting and cleanup standards for asbestos released to the environment. Residual asbestos contamination is a common concern at urban sites where construction activities disturb existing soil. As it now stands, asbestos cleanups adhere to the air quality provisions of the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) and USEPA procedural guidance.

The NESHAP standard establishes a criterion based on the asbestos percentage by area. This standard cannot be directly translated into mass-based MCP reporting and cleanup standards (e.g., asbestos fibers per gram of soil). The potential risk presented by each type of asbestos to generate airborne particulates that may be inhaled will factor into the final MCP standards. DEP is expected to follow an approach similar to that used in promulgating the EPH/VPH standards for total petroleum hydrocarbon compounds; whereby individual risk-based standards for friable and nonfriable asbestos will be established.

Archived - Jan. 13, 2003