Hazardous building materials may be present within your property. Asbestos and lead are two of the most common hazards found. There are regulations in place to protect residents and contractors from these hazardous materials during renovation or demolition activities.
- Asbestos is a known carcinogen and classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) as a hazardous air pollutant. Prolonged exposure can cause lung cancer and other respiratory diseases. In Washington State, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA) and the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (WA L&I) require owners to conduct a pre-renovation/demolition survey prior to starting work or disturbance of suspect asbestos-containing materials (ACM). Per the regulations, an accredited Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) building inspector must conduct a survey to identify the ACM present and provide a written asbestos report prior to the commencement of work. This survey will be conducted in your home prior to construction and a report will be provided to the contractor and owner.
- Lead is a toxic heavy metal and can be found in paint, coatings, and other building materials. If ingested or inhaled, lead can cause damage to reproductive and nervous systems. WA L&I regulations are in place to protect residents and contractors from the hazards presented by lead. Specifically, the regulations include worker protection and work practices while impacting lead-containing paint/coatings and building materials. These regulations are not only designed to protect contractors, but to ensure building occupants are not exposed to lead hazards during or after renovation/demolition work. In additional to the asbestos survey mentioned above, a lead survey will also be conducted. A summary of lead-containing paints/coatings and building materials will be included in the report.
If either ACM or lead-containing paint/coatings or building materials are identified during the survey and found to be impacted by the renovation work inside your property, a licensed contractor hired and paid by the Port is required to remove and dispose of the hazardous building materials. These materials will only be mitigated in the areas that impact the installation of sound insulation treatments. The contractor is accredited by a Washington State issued certification. The removal work will be conducted by a licensed contractor.
