Asbestos

If you are remodeling, renovating, or demolishing, you may be subject to State and Federal Regulations requiring an inspection for asbestos.  If you are impacting greater than the trigger levels of suspect asbestos-containing materials (ACM), you must have your project inspected for ACM by a Colorado-certified asbestos building inspector before commencing work.

For All Renovation Projects:

  • Buildings of any age may contain ACM; even those newly built may have ACM.
  • Inspection:  If the structures/components to be disturbed exceed the trigger levels, they must be inspected for asbestos by a Colorado-certified asbestos building inspector, unless the building was built after October 12, 1988, AND the architect or engineer who built it signs and submits documentation showing that no ACM was specified or used in the construction of the building--then no inspection is needed. Asbestos consulting firms and asbestos building inspectors can be found in the yellow pages of most telephone books under the heading “Asbestos Consulting and Testing." 
  • If the amount of ACM to be disturbed exceeds the following trigger levels, then an asbestos abatement contractor must remove the material:
    • Single-Family Residential Dwellings (SFRD):  the trigger levels are: 50 linear feet on pipes; 32 square feet on other surfaces; or the volume equivalent of a 55-gallon drum.
    • Public and Commercial Buildings (other than SFRDs):  the trigger levels are: 260 linear feet on pipes; 160 square feet on other surfaces; or the volume equivalent of a 55-gallon drum.
  • An abatement permit application to CDPHE for a notice/permit may be required, along with payment of a fee and a ten (10) working-day notification period (emergencies may be excluded) before the removal (abatement) of regulated asbestos-containing materials.  ALL ACM waste must be disposed of at an approved asbestos waste disposal site – regardless of the quantity or the necessity for a notice/permit.

For ALL Demolition Projects:

  • Inspection:  The building or area of the building to be demolished must be inspected for asbestos by a Colorado-certified asbestos inspector.  Asbestos consulting firms and asbestos building inspectors can be found in the yellow pages of most telephone books under the heading “Asbestos Consulting and Testing."
  • Asbestos Removal (if necessary) may have to be performed by a Colorado-certified GAC.  Removal, in accordance with Regulation No. 8, Part B, is required if the amount of asbestos-containing material that is friable or will become friable during demolition exceeds the trigger levels.

Visit the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment abatement web page for more information and forms.