FACT SHEET
NOTICE SOLICITING COMMENT ON ALTERNATIVE WORK PRACTICE
FOR THE AIR TOXICS STANDARDS FOR ASBESTOS
ACTION
•	On April 18, 2018, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a notice soliciting
comment on an alternative work practice request under the Clean Air Act, to use new
technology and work practices developed for removal and replacement of asbestos cement
(A/C) pipe.
•	EPA is soliciting comment on all aspects of this request for an alternative work practice that,
in order to be approved, should be at least environmentally equivalent to the existing work
practices in the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Asbestos
(Asbestos NESHAP).
•	Following a process laid out in the Clean Air Act and the Asbestos NESHAP, EPA received
a request to approve an alternative work practice called "close tolerance pipe slurrification"
(CTPS) to replace A/C pipes.
•	After evaluating the request, EPA is proposing that CTPS is at least equivalent to the
Asbestos NESHAP process for A/C pipe removal.
•	If approved, this alternative work practice could be used to comply with the Asbestos
NESHAP.
•	Conventional work practices to replace A/C pipe include open-cut trench and replace and
abandoning A/C pipe in place.
•	The Asbestos NESHAP is an organized collection of work practices designed to prevent the
release of asbestos, and are prescribed for the handling and processing of asbestos-containing
materials. The NESHAP for this source category was originally promulgated in 1973, and
was last amended in 1990.
•	Asbestos is a known human carcinogen and the primary route of exposure is through
inhalation of asbestos fibers. More information on the health effects of asbestos may be
found at https://www.epa.gOv/asbestos/learn-about-asbestos#effects.
HOW TO COMMENT
•	EPA will accept comment on the proposed alternative work practice for 60 days following
publication in the Federal Register.
•	Comments on the notice, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2017-0427, can be
submitted by one of the following methods:
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Online: www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting
comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2017-0427.
Email: Comments may be sent to a-and-r-Docket@epa.gov. Include Docket ID
No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2017-0427 in the subject line of the message.
Fax: Fax your comments to (202) 566-9744, Attention Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2017-0427.
Mail: Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC),
Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 2822IT, Attention Docket ID No.
EPA-HQ-OAR-2017-0427, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC
20460.
Hand/Courier Delivery: EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA WJC West
Building, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004, Attention
Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2017-0427. Such deliveries are accepted only
during the normal hours of operation (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday, excluding legal holidays), and special arrangements should be made for
deliveries of boxed information.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
•	Interested parties can download the proposed action from the EPA's website at:
https://www.epa.gov/stationarv-sources-air-pollution/asbestos-national-emission-standards-
hazardous-air-pollutants.
•	Today's notice and other background information are also available either electronically at
http://www.regulations.gov. the EPA's electronic public docket and comment system, or in
hardcopy at the EPA Docket Center's Public Reading Room. The Docket ID number for this
proposed action is EPA-HQ-OAR-2017-0427.
•	The Public Reading Room is located in the EPA Headquarters Library, Room
Number 3334 in the EPA WJC West Building, located at 1301 Constitution Ave.,
NW, Washington, DC. Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. eastern
standard time, Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays.
•	Visitors are required to show photographic identification, pass through a metal
detector and sign the EPA visitor log. All visitor materials will be processed
through an X-ray machine as well. Visitors will be provided a badge that must be
visible at all times.
•	For further information about the proposed action, contact Susan Fairchild of EPA's Office
of Air Quality Planning and Standards, Sector Policies and Programs Division, Minerals and
Manufacturing Group at (919)-541-5167 or by email at fairchild.susan@epa.gov.



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