The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) was signed into law on October 22, 1986. AHERA requires the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework of inspection, management planning, operations and maintenance (O&M) activities and appropriate abatement responses to control asbestos-containing materials (ACM) in schools. The AHERA schools rule was signed by the EPA Administrator on October 17, 1987.AHERA also requires that the EPA Administrator conduct a study to determine 'the extent of danger to human health posed by asbestos in public and commercial buildings and the means to respond to any such danger' (AHERA, Section 201 (b) (3)). Section 213 of the Act sets forth the requirements for this study: 'Within 360 days after the date of the enactment of this title, the Administrator shall conduct and submit to the Congress the results of a study which shall-(1) assess the extent to which asbestos-containing materials are present in public and commercial buildings; (2) assess the condition of asbestos-containing material in commercial buildings and the likelihood that persons occupying such buildings, including service and maintenance personnel, are, or may be, exposed to asbestos fibers; (3) consider and report on whether public and commercial buildings should be subject to the same inspection and response action requirements that apply to school buildings; (4) assess whether existing Federal regulations adequately protect the general public, particularly abatement personnel, from exposure to asbestos during renovation and demolition of such buildings; and (5) include recommendations that explicitly address whether there is a need to establish standards for, and regulate asbestos exposure in, public and commercial buildings.' This report is EPA's response to that mandate.

"February 1988."