Arkansas officials planning amendments to mesothelioma-causing asbestos regulations

The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality has begun the process of amending the state’s current asbestos regulations. The proposed changes would affect construction, demolition, and renovation projects, asbestos inspectors, procedures for monitoring air quality, asbestos training, and management plans for monitoring asbestos in buildings. Among the changes are new regulations that would require certain projects to have continuous air quality monitoring before, during, and after asbestos removal.

The proposed changes would also require the air monitoring to be conducted by an independent third party that is not an agent of the firm doing the renovation.

Asbestos can still be found in many older buildings across America. Asbestos was used for several decades in products like floor and ceiling tiles, adhesives, and insulation.

Today, it is well known that asbestos exposure has been conclusively linked to the development of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer. Mesothelioma affects less than 3,000 Americans each year, and while there are palliative treatment methods available, including chemo, there is no known cure. The disease typically lies dormant for up to fifty years before an individual begins to suffer from mesothelioma symptoms, and the majority of patients lose their battle with this cancer in less than two years following diagnosis. Exposure to asbestos can also cause lung scarring and chronic respiratory ailments.

Another change to the current regulations will be a new guideline that would require those seeking asbestos training certification to have their photo on file to reduce fraud. In addition, nearly all asbestos-related fees would be cut by about 25%.