§2646 Contractor and Laboratory Accreditation

Summary

People may not inspect for asbestos, write asbestos management plans, or do most cleanup work for friable asbestos in schools or in public or commercial buildings unless they are accredited. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had to create a model accreditation plan within 180 days after October 22, 1986. That model covers three groups: people who inspect, people who prepare school management plans, and people who design or do response work (except the specific response types already described in sections 2643(f) and 2644(c)). The model requires a passing exam and ongoing education. States must adopt equally strict accreditation plans soon after the model is finished. The EPA also had to make sure its approved training courses match the model within 180 days and list older courses that count as equivalent. The National Institute of Standards and Technology must set up lab accreditation programs. One program for bulk-sample labs was due within 360 days after October 22, 1986, and one for school air-sample labs was due within 720 days after that date. Schools seeking federal asbestos-abatement money must use accredited people and labs. Work by people must be done after one year following October 22, 1986 to need accreditation; work by labs must be done after 180 days following completion of the lab program. The EPA must publish lists of approved training courses starting by August 31, 1988 and every three months until August 31, 1991, and may keep publishing them later.