{"operation":"document","citation":"06-0013","title":"Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2006-02-22","effective_on":null,"summary":"06-0013 response to Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection concerning 172.102.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-06-0013.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-06-0013.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-06-0013","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2006/060013.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nMr. Frederick P. Walter, Jr.\nRef. No. 06-0013\nPennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection\nArmbrust Professional Center\n8205 Route 819\nGreensburg, PA 15601-8739\nDear Mr. Walter:\nThis is in response to your letter requesting clarification of the applicability of Special\nProvision 156 under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180)\nto shipments of asbestos-containing materials subject to the National Emission Standards\nfor Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP). You state that the asbestos fibers in the\nmaterial are either immersed or fixed in wetting agents using water or water mixed with\ncertain chemicals. The wetting agents are used to prevent the release of particulates as\nrequired by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 40 CFR. You ask whether the\nasbestos treated with wetting agents meet the provisions in Special Provision 156 for\nexception from the HMR.\nThe answer is no if the package contains friable and non-friable asbestos. As provided in\n§ 172.102, Special Provision 156, asbestos immersed or fixed in a natural or artificial\nbinder is not subject to the HMR. The wetting agents you describe are not natural or\nartificial binders. The effects of the wetting agents may be temporary and do not meet\nthe provisions and intent of Special Provision 156. Therefore, unless the material is\nimmersed or fixed in a natural (such as mineral ore) or artificial binder (such as cement,\nplastic, asphalt or resin), or is contained in a manufactured product whereby it is no\nlonger friable, it is regulated under the HMR.\nI hope this information is helpful. Please contact this office if you have additional\nquestions.\nSincerely,\nHattie L. Mitchell\nChief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\n172:102 5P156\n060013\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nGreensburg District Office\n724-923-5400\nMr. Edward T. Mazzullo\nDirector - Office of Material Standards\nUSDOT\nRoom 8422-PHNSA DHM-10\n400 7* Street SW\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nDear Mr. Mazzullo:\nI am requesting clarification of the applicability of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR\n- 49 CFR Parts 171-180) to the shipments of Regulated Asbestos Containing Materials (RACM).\nSpecifically, does RACM, as defined at 40 CFR, Part 61, subpart M, Section 61.141\n(Definitions), generated from an asbestos abatement project and subject to the Asbestos NESHAP\nregulations meet the exception found in CFR 49 §172.102 Special Provision, Number 156?\nRACM, generated from an asbestos abatement project, such as on old foundry (Facility), is\nrequired by the Asbestos NESHAP to be \"adequately wetted\".\nAdequately wetted means sufficiently mix or penetrate with liquid to prevent the release of\nparticulates (§61.141 Definitions).\nThe industry standard is to use water, amended water or removal encapsulant to reduce\nairborne fiber concentrations which are generated during removal.\nWater is most often used to penetrate chrysotile asbestos fibers because they easily absorb\nwater in its natural state.\nAmended water (i.e. surfactant) is a combination of chemicals which aids in the penetration of\nwater into the material and increases the probability of individual fiber wetting. Amended water\nconsists of ½ ounce of surfactant mixed in a gallon of water. A surfactant is a mixture of 50%\npolyoxyethylene ester and 50% polyoxyethylene ether, or equal parts. Some contractors have used\nethylene glycol, oils and/or encapsulants to help reduce amosite emissions.\nRemoval encapsulant is a penetrating type of encapsulant that is used in areas requiring a\nlonger removal time span or is subject to rapid evaporation of amended water. Removal encapsulants\nare more effective because they wet the asbestos containing material and retard fiber release during\ndisturbance of the material equal to or greater than that provided by amended water.\nAsbestos fibers in the RACM are either immersed or fixed in the natural or artificial binders of\nthe wetting agents while being abated.\nAn Equal Opportunity Employer\nwww.dep.state.pa.us\nPrinted on Recycle Paper C B\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nTrotench P.Ualter, f.\nFrederick P. Walter, Jr.\nAir Quality Specialist\nFPW:tmn","truncated":false,"body_characters":4153}