Are there environmental regulations that will affect removal of Chinese drywall?
Yes. The removal of Chinese drywall from residential and commercial buildings may be subject to federal, state, and county asbestos regulations. These rules are designed to protect the public from the potential release of asbestos fibers due to the disturbance of building materials that contain asbestos. There are also solid waste regulations that will affect how the material is disposed. Who must comply with the asbestos regulations? Whether a Chinese drywall removal project is subject to the asbestos regulations will need to be determined on a case-by-case basis. Following is general guidance on projects that must comply with the asbestos regulations; • If a private homeowner hires a contractor to remove and replace the drywall, the project is exempt from the federal asbestos regulations, even if that contractor has been hired individually by other homeowners; • If a developer or contractor removes drywall as part of a larger project (e.g. an insurance settlement on homes that it has
