Many of us love the characteristics of older homes and choose to update them as we continue to live in the home. Or, perhaps we have rental properties that may be of an older vintage that need to be updated at times to make them livable for future tenants.
One of the factors property owners need to be aware of when modifying older homes is the presence of asbestos. Homes constructed prior to 2004 may contain asbestos, which is a natural occurring mineral that was used in many construction materials. Properly handling asbestos protects public health. When asbestos is disturbed, tiny fibers are released into the air and may cause lung cancer and other illnesses. There is no known safe level of exposure. While the use of asbestos in building materials has decreased over the years, it may still exist in the older homes.
Oregon adopted new requirements in fall 2018 for handling asbestos. The Oregon department of Environmental Quality requires property owners and contractors to identify asbestos and to properly handle, package and dispose of asbestos waste from demolition and renovation projects. A new requirement that is especially applicable to the real esate industry is the new Residential Renovation Survey Requirement.
There are three main changes to Oregon's Asbestos requirements:
1. Residential renovation asbestos survey: All houses and other residential buildings constructed prior to 2004 must now have an asbestos survey conducted by an accredited inspector prior to demolition and renovation activities, with one main exception for owner-occupants doing their own renovation work. This expands an existing asbestos survey requirement for residential demolitions and for commercial demolitions and renovations.
2. Updated disposal requirements for nonfriable waste: Nonfriable asbestos waste must now be packaged the same as friable asbestos waste. Friable materials are those that can be easily crumbled and release asbestos fibers. Applying the same packaging standard for nonfriable and friable materials streamlines the packaging requirements for all asbestos waste and ensures a safer work environment for employees, residents, neighbors and disposal facility workers.
3. Accredited laboratories for asbestos testing: Starting January 1, 2021, the bulk asbestos samples collected during the asbestos surveying must be analyzed by a laboratory that participates in a nationally recognized accreditation or testing program. This new requirement establishes a common level of competency and reliability in analysis to properly identify asbestos content. DEQ will maintain a public list of accredited laboratories on its website.
If you are thinking about hiring contractors to renovate your current home or a rental property, that was built prior to 2004, you'll want to be aware of the new requirements regarding testing for, and eliminating, asbestos from the property. More information can be found at Department of Environmental Quality Asbestos Information web page.
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