US EPA

10 

Technical Report 

HEI 

Asbestos in public and commercial buildings: A literature review and synthesis of current knowledge 

Health Effects Institute :: HEI 

1991 

Health Effects Institute-Asbestos Research 

Cambridge, MA 

227 

English 

is supplemented by 3102437 Asbestos in public and commercial buildings: Supplementary analyses of selected data prevously considered by the literature review panel
is related to other part(s) 4850933 ORD review of Health Effects Institute (HEI) report:

This report was prepared by the Literature Review Panel, a multidisciplinary group of experts under the auspices of the Health Effects Institute-Asbestos Research (HEI-AR). HEI-AR is an independent, nonprofit organization that was formed in 1990 to gather and generate reliable and objective information. HEI-AR is supported jointly by the Environmental Protection Agency and a broad range of private parties that have an interest in asbestos. The congressional mandate under which HEI-AR operates specifies that HEI-AR's research "effort shall in no way be construed to limit or alter [the Environmental Protection Agency's] authority or obligation to proceed with rulemakings and to issue rules as necessary."

This report represents the first step in the response to a congressional mandate (August 3,1988) to the Health Effects Institute (HE!), and through HEI to HEI-AR, for research to:
• "determine actual airborne (asbestos fiber) levels prevalent in buildings ...
• "characterize peak exposure episodes and their significance, and
• "evaluate the effectiveness of asbestos management and abatement strategies in a scientifically meaningful manner."

The purpose of the present report is to review and synthesize the state of knowledge as reflected in scientific articles, reports, and additional unpublished data on four issues considered pertinent to the congressional mandate:
• the concentrations of airborne asbestos fibers found in public and commercial buildings;
• the concentrations of such fibers to which building occupants, including custodial workers, maintenance workers, abatement workers, and other occupants, are exposed; the situations causing such exposures; and the potential for adverse health effects resulting therefrom;
• the possible impact that different asbestos remediation strategies may have on the exposure of building occupants to airborne asbestos and, in turn, on the risks of health effects in those exposed; and
• the significance of each form of asbestos in terms of its potential ill health effects and its implications for different remediation options in buildings. 

Asbestos; Commercial buildings; Public buildings; Air pollution effects(Humans); Construction materials; Reviews; Occupational safety and health; Public health; Exposure; Risk assessment; Environmental chemical substitutes; Indoor air pollution; Malignant neoplasms; Air pollution abatement; Protective equipment; Maintenance; Air pollution sampling