We recently received an advisory memorandum from Mr. Steven A. Camaiore, P.E., the Director of the Asbestos Control Program for New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP).  The Advisory had several important points and interesting bits of information.  For example did you know NYCDEP was issuing violations directly to asbestos handlers for obvious violations in which the handler was directly at fault?  Some of the violations they have issued are:

• worker not wearing gloves,
• worker engaged in dry removal,
• worker not taking a shower,
• or a worker altering their certificate.

This seems to have opened a new area of revenue for NYCDEP.  Though I don’t know how much money they are likely to get from asbestos handlers.

Asbestos Supervisors are already getting violations for dry removal or 5 or more violations on the site.

Another enforcement action NYCDEP announced was giving applicants until March 15, 2012 to close out projects filed in the January and February of 2011.  Applicants are required to close-out their project(s), NYCDEP, with this memo, is notifying applicants that if their project is still open after March 15 they will take enforcement action.  In addition, NYCDEP will begin strictly enforcing the following sub-sections of the asbestos regulations:

• 1-26 (e) Failure to terminate asbestos abatement permit within year
• 1-44(d) Analysis and Reporting Results
• 1-112 (m) Additional Clean-up Procedures (Final)
• 1-28 (h) Clean-up Procedures: Preparation for Clearance Air Monitoring

It certainly seems NYCDEP continues to show how government agencies should be enforcing their regulations.  You can find the memo at: https://futureenvironmentdesigns.com/news.html.