[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 146 (Monday, August 1, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-18665]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: August 1, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPPTS-62136; FRL-4744-1]
Advisory Regarding Availability of an Improved Asbestos Bulk
Sample Analysis Test Method; Supplementary Information on Bulk Sample
Collection and Analysis
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of advisory.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of an improved asbestos
bulk sample analysis test method for use with bulk samples collected
for identification of asbestos-containing materials under the Asbestos
Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) regulations and the asbestos
National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP).
Supplementary information on the collection of bulk samples and
analysis of these samples by the improved method is also provided.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan B. Hazen, Director,
Environmental Assistance Division (7408), Office of Pollution
Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW.,
Washington, DC 20460, Telephone: (202-554-1404), TDD: 554-0551.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA recently developed an improved test
method entitled ``Method for the Determination of Asbestos in Bulk
Building Materials'' (EPA/600/R-93/116). Copies of the test method are
available by telephoning the National Technical Information Service
(NTIS) at (800)553-6847. The NTIS identifier for the test method is
PB93-218576.
The test method provides clarifications and improvements to the
1982 EPA ``Interim Method for the Determination of Asbestos in Bulk
Insulation Samples'' (as found in 40 CFR part 763 Appendix A to Subpart
F). Specifically, use of the improved method can provide more precise
analytical results especially at low asbestos concentrations, enhanced
analysis of floor tiles which may contain thin asbestos fibers below
the limits of resolution of the polarized light microscope (PLM), and
clearer instruction on the analysis of bulk materials, particularly
where multiple layers are present.
The 1982 method is limited in that it does not provide guidance for
analyzing materials that contain thin (<0.25 micrometers)="" asbestos="" fibers.="" as="" a="" consequence,="" floor="" tiles="" which="" were="" analyzed="" according="" to="" the="" 1982="" method="" and="" for="" which="" negative="" results="" were="" reported="" may="" actually="" contain="" undetected="" asbestos.="" at="" this="" time="" epa="" does="" not="" have="" data="" to="" support="" identification="" of="" other="" materials="" which="" may="" have="" thin="" fibers.="" the="" improved="" method="" addresses="" the="" thin="" fiber="" limitation="" of="" the="" 1982="" method="" by="" providing="" directions="" for="" using="" transmission="" electron="" microscopy="" (tem).="" the="" test="" method="" includes="" improved="" procedures="" for="" reducing="" matrices="" so="" that="" fibers="" may="" be="" made="" available="" for="" microscopic="" analysis.="" the="" improved="" method="" also="" directs="" laboratories="" to="" analyze="" the="" individual="" strata="" or="" layers="" and="" report="" a="" single="" result="" for="" each="" layer.="" the="" 1982="" method="" provided="" that="" the="" analytical="" result="" for="" a="" multi-layered="" sample="" with="" discrete="" strata="" be="" reported="" as="" one="" result="" across="" all="" layers.="" because="" the="" 1982="" method="" allowed="" the="" result="" to="" be="" reported="" as="" one="" number,="" multi-layered="" samples="" which="" may="" contain="" asbestos="" in="" a="" single="" layer="" may="" have="" been="" reported="" by="" laboratories="" as="" nonasbestos-="" containing.="" the="" improved="" method="" directs="" laboratories="" to="" analyze="" and="" report="" a="" result="" for="" individual="" layers.="" thus,="" more="" than="" one="" result="" will="" be="" reported="" for="" multi-layered="" samples,="" and="" a="" multi-layered="" sample="" which="" previously="" was="" determined="" to="" be="" nonasbestos-containing="" may="" now="" have="" layers="" which="" will="" be="" classified="" as="" asbestos-containing="" based="" on="" the="" presence="" of="" asbestos="" in="" greater="" than="" 1="" percent.="" in="" light="" of="" the="" availability="" of="" the="" improved="" method,="" epa="" recommends="" that="" local="" education="" agencies="" (leas)="" use="" the="" improved="" method="" in="" place="" of="" the="" 1982="" procedures="" as="" found="" in="" 40="" cfr="" part="" 763="" appendix="" a="" to="" subpart="" f.="" epa="" has="" made="" the="" determination="" that="" the="" improved="" method="" is="" more="" capable="" of="" producing="" accurate="" results="" than="" the="" 1982="" protocol="" and="" thus="" serves="" as="" a="" preferred="" substitute="" method.="" further,="" epa="" recommends="" that="" leas="" which="" have="" plm="" laboratory="" results="" indicating="" floor="" tiles="" to="" be="" nonasbestos-containing="" (asbestos="" present="" in="" less="" than="" or="" equal="" to="" 1="" percent)="" reconsider="" whether="" these="" materials="" may="" have="" thin="" asbestos="" fibers.="" leas="" should="" also="" consider="" whether="" other="" materials="" sampled="" previously="" may="" contain="" multiple="" layers,="" whether="" each="" of="" these="" layers="" was="" analyzed="" separately,="" and="" whether="" results="" were="" reported="" separately="" by="" layer.="" (note:="" for="" purposes="" of="" this="" analysis,="" drywall="" or="" gypsum="" board="" is="" considered="" a="" single-layered="" material.)="" leas="" are="" encouraged="" to="" determine="" from="" sampling="" and="" analysis="" records="" whether="" multi-layered="" systems="" were="" sampled="" and="" analyzed="" separately.="" (a="" system="" is="" an="" integrated="" group="" of="" building="" components="" which="" form="" a="" unit,="" i.e.,="" a="" wall="" system="" composed="" of="" a="" browncoat="" layer="" as="" well="" as="" other="" plaster="" layers.)="" although="" there="" is="" no="" modification="" of="" the="" ahera="" requirements="" at="" this="" time="" and="" results="" obtained="" by="" following="" the="" 1982="" protocol="" and="" the="" ahera="" sampling="" rules="" meet="" the="" ahera="" legal="" requirements,="" it="" may="" be="" prudent="" for="" leas="" to="" assume="" floor="" tiles="" and="" multi-layered="" materials="" with="" previously="" negative="" results="" to="" be="" asbestos-containing="" or="" resample="" and="" analyze="" them="" by="" the="" 1993="" epa="" test="" method.="" this="" approach="" should="" be="" considered="" for="" the="" following="" circumstances:="" (1)="" floor="" tiles="" which="" may="" contain="" thin="" fibers="" and="" which="" were="" analyzed="" under="" the="" 1982="" plm="" method="" and="" found="" not="" to="" be="" asbestos-containing;="" and="" (2)="" materials="" such="" as="" hard="" wall="" and="" acoustical="" plaster,="" stucco="" or="" other="" similar="" multi-layered="" materials="" or="" systems="" which="" were="" not="" analyzed="" and="" reported="" by="" layers="" (discrete="" strata).="" leas="" are="" reminded="" that="" they="" are="" also="" required="" to="" comply="" with="" the="" asbestos="" neshap="" regulation="" when="" disturbing="" asbestos-containing="" building="" materials.="" although="" building="" owners/operators="" are="" not="" required="" by="" the="" asbestos="" neshap="" to="" collect="" bulk="" samples="" of="" building="" products="" prior="" to="" disturbance,="" they="" are="" responsible="" for="" knowing="" whether="" asbestos="" is="" contained="" in="" the="" building="" product.="" often,="" identification="" of="" asbestos="" content="" may="" be="" obtained="" only="" by="" sampling="" and="" analyzing="" the="" material.="" epa="" has="" provided="" guidance="" on="" how="" to="" sample="" and="" interpret="" analytical="" results="" for="" multi-layered="" samples="" for="" the="" asbestos="" neshap="" in="" the="" federal="" register="" notice="" of="" january="" 5,="" 1994="" (59="" fr="" 542).="" before="" undertaking="" activities="" which="" might="" trigger="" asbestos="" neshap="" requirements,="" it="" is="" recommended="" that="" leas="" consider="" resampling="" multi-layered="" materials="" which="" have="" been="" found="" to="" be="" nonasbestos-containing="" for="" ahera="" purposes="" or="" assume="" them="" to="" be="" asbestos-containing="" prior="" to="" disturbance="" according="" to="" the="" guidelines="" set="" forth="" in="" this="" current="" notice,="" in="" the="" january="" 5,="" 1994="" neshap="" federal="" register="" notice,="" and="" in="" the="" improved="" analytical="" method="" to="" avoid="" potential="" violation="" of="" the="" asbestos="" neshap.="" all="" previous="" positive="" results="" (asbestos="" present="" in="" greater="" than="" 1="" percent)="" are="" acceptable="" regardless="" of="" the="" epa="" method="" by="" which="" they="" were="" sampled="" or="" analyzed.="" for="" ahera="" and="" neshap="" purposes,="" materials="" may="" always="" be="" assumed="" to="" be="" asbestos-containing="" in="" lieu="" of="" sampling="" and="" analysis.="" epa="" is="" in="" the="" midst="" of="" preparing="" a="" guidance="" bulletin="" to="" assist="" leas="" in="" implementing="" the="" recommendations="" discussed="" in="" this="" notice.="" the="" guidance="" will="" be="" available="" in="" summer="" 1994.="" to="" obtain="" a="" single="" copy="" of="" the="" bulletin,="" you="" must="" send="" a="" written="" request="" for="" the="" ``asbestos="" sampling="" bulletin''="" and="" an="" 9\1/2\="" inch="" by="" 12="" inch="" self-addressed="" and="" stamped="" envelope="" (at="" least="" $0.75="" in="" postage="" applied="" to="" the="" envelope)="" to:="" tsca="" assistance="" information="" service,="" environmental="" assistance="" division="" (7408),="" office="" of="" pollution="" prevention="" and="" toxics,="" environmental="" protection="" agency,="" 401="" m="" st.,="" sw.,="" washington,="" dc="" 20460.="" requests="" for="" the="" bulletin="" that="" are="" not="" accompanied="" by="" the="" self-="" addressed="" and="" stamped="" envelope="" will="" not="" be="" honored.="" multiple="" copies="" are="" not="" available.="" copies="" will="" be="" distributed="" only="" in="" the="" previously="" described="" manner.="" dated:="" july="" 21,="" 1994.="" lynn="" r.="" goldman,="" assistant="" administrator,="" office="" of="" prevention,="" pesticides="" and="" toxic="" substances.="" [fr="" doc.="" 94-18665="" filed="" 7-29-94;="" 8:45="" am]="" billing="" code="" 6560-50-f="">