EPA Searches for Better Asbestos Removal Technology
The Environmental Protection Agency released a plan to evaluate a new demolition process for buildings containing asbestos. Scientists and engineers from the EPA's National Risk Management Research Laboratory have developed a new method called the Alternative Asbestos Control Method to improve upon the current methods for demolishing buildings containing asbestos. Preliminary findings show that the AACM method is effective in cleaning up asbestos-contaminated buildings.
Two similar asbestos-containing buildings were demolished in April 2006. One demolition used the standard National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants and one used the AACM method. As the buildings were destroyed, environmental emissions were monitored. Data from the evaluation showed lower than expected levels of asbestos and reduced potential for worker exposure using the AACM method.
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