Asbestos
Regulating asbestos requirements related to renovation or demolition projects, schools and disposal.
Asbestos is the common name for a group of naturally occurring mineral fibers that are known for their high tensile strength and thermal insulating properties. It is commonly found in heating system insulation, vinyl floor tiles and sheet flooring, roofing paper and shingles, cement siding shingles, and a variety of other building construction products. When asbestos is disturbed, it can break down into microscopic fibers that may become airborne.
Inhalation of airborne asbestos fibers has been determined to be a cause of adverse health effects such as lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis. To prevent such exposures, NHDES implements the requirements of state statute RSA 141-E Asbestos Management and Control and state regulations Env-A 1800, Asbestos Management and Control, which was first adopted in 1987.
NHDES regulates asbestos requirements related to renovation or demolition projects; licenses required to work on projects; schools; and inactive asbestos disposal sites, largely located in Nashua and Hudson, NH due to past dumping practices by an asbestos manufacturer.