Tough New Asbestos Regulations Considered : Supervisors: The proposal, governing removal of the cancer-causing agent, exceeds federal standards.

Ventura County is considering tough new rules governing asbestos removal that go beyond federal Environmental Protection Agency standards in an effort to limit public exposure to the cancer-causing agent.

Under the proposal to be considered Tuesday by Ventura County supervisors, it would be illegal to knock down walls or cut into ceilings of houses where asbestos is present without using a licensed asbestos-removal contractor. Property owners would be exempt from the new rules if they live in the house they are remodeling and do their own work.

The county’s existing asbestos removal regulations, and those approved by the EPA, exempt contractors working on private homes and residential buildings with fewer than four units. The proposed revisions would cover all types of commercial and residential buildings.

Homeowners who are unsure whether their residences have asbestos are advised to have their houses inspected before beginning work. Most housing built from the end of World War II to 1978 contains asbestos. During that time it was commonly used as a construction material.

“Asbestos is a very carcinogenic material, and it doesn’t take a lot of exposures to give someone cancer,” said Keith Duval, a manager of the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District. “This rule is an attempt to provide more protection for the public health.”

Duval said asbestos contained in acoustic ceilings, older ventilation, heating or air-conditioning duct work and possibly floor tiles is of particular concern. But he said floor tiles are considered a problem only if they were sanded or broken, allowing asbestos fibers to become airborne.

“Asbestos removed from the home poses just as serious a threat as asbestos removed from an office or commercial building,” said Richard H. Baldwin, head of the Air Pollution Control District.

But the proposals have raised objections from some Ventura County contractors, who said augmenting present regulations would be unnecessary and too costly for most homeowners.

“It’s more environmental overkill,” said Bob Buchanan, general contractor at California Property Services, a longtime Ventura company. “Asbestos is usually hidden away in some corner and no one will get to it or disturb it.”

But Buchanan said asbestos can also turn up in unexpected places during residential remodeling.

“It can be anywhere,” he said. “Especially if there have been any modifications by a homeowner or an amateur.”

Sid Moreno, a licensed asbestos remover in Moorpark, said the proposed regulations would be a hardship on homeowners in a depressed real estate market who are trying to remodel a residence instead of moving up to a bigger house.

“People who were planning to remodel might not be able to do it now,” he said.

Baldwin said property owners can call the district’s enforcement division to help determine if asbestos is present in their buildings.

If asbestos is suspected, licensed contractors can inspect the property for asbestos-laden materials. Moreno’s firm, for example, charges $125 to $250 for a complete house or apartment inspection. Thorough asbestos removal from an average-size residence can range up to $12,000, he said.

The Air Pollution Control District does not recommend removal of asbestos if it is not disturbed by the work. If left untouched, asbestos can remain relatively harmless for several decades or more.

Depending on whether asbestos is found and whether it needs to be removed, county officials estimate that the stiffer requirements could add $2.50 to $12 per square foot to construction costs on smaller units. That would be a substantial addition to the average $120-per-square-foot construction costs for a residential remodeling project, officials said.

On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisor will accept public comments on the proposed rule changes before making a decision. If approved by the supervisors, the new regulation would become effective Sept. 1.

If enacted, Baldwin and his staff plan a public awareness campaign to warn residential remodelers about asbestos dangers and to inform them of the new requirements.

FYI

For more information on how to determine whether a home might have asbestos, or for a list of licensed laboratories and asbestos removal contractors, call the Air Pollution Control District at 645-1400.