SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon officials are relaxing some requirements for handling ash and debris containing asbestos to speed work in removing debris from homes and buildings destroyed by wildfires.

The Oregon Environmental Quality Commission on Friday also authorized the temporary stockpiling of asbestos-containing debris before being taken to landfills.

Asbestos can cause deadly mesothelioma cancer and other illnesses.

The rule changes apply to those who decide to hire licensed asbestos abatement contractors.

The changes include suspension of fees and notification requirements, except for commercial and larger residential properties.

Open accumulation of asbestos debris is allowed, as is the use of mechanical equipment.

Residential property owners with four or fewer dwelling units can also do the work themselves if certain conditions are met.

Those conditions include not using any paid labor and wetting debris to prevent airborne particles.

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SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon has issued more than $31,000 in fines to Polk County Fire District No. 1 and a Salem-based construction company for releasing asbestos during a training exercise for firefighters.

The Statesman Journal reports the fire district burned a Monmouth home in January for a “burn-to-learn” exercise at the request of 3 G’s Construction.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality tested for asbestos at the site after receiving a complaint from a neighbor. The agency in imposing the fines described both parties’ behavior as “reckless.”

Fire Chief Ben Stange says changes have been made following a review of burn-to-learn procedures.

The newspaper could not reach company president Roger Griswold for comment.

The agency fined the company $16,835 and the fire district $14,400.

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The Environmental Protection Agency is receiving through Aug. 10 public comments on a proposed Significant New Use Rule (SNUR) that would allow use of asbestos, a known carcinogen, in certain building materials and other products.

The “significant new use” in this rule refers to manufacturing and other processes where asbestos is not currently in use. This includes adhesives, sealants, roof and non-roof coatings, extrudable sealant tape, high-grade electrical paper, millboard, pipeline wrap, reinforced plastics, roofing felt, asbestos floor tile and any other building materials other than cement. The use is considered new if initiated after Aug. 25, 1989.

If authorized, the proposed rule change would allow manufacturers to include asbestos in these products if they give the EPA 90 days’ notice prior to beginning the manufacturing process. The proposed use would also have to pass an agency review as to whether it would cause an unreasonable risk.

The agency banned a number of asbestos-containing products in 1989. This triggered industry litigation, however, and an appeals court vacated the rule in 1991, overturning most of the ban, with the exception of corrugated paper, rollboard, commercial paper, specialty paper and flooring felt.

The full text of the proposed rule is available at: .

Public comments can be submitted at .

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Metro is now requiring proof of asbestos testing at its Metro Central and Metro South transfer sites.

The administrative rule change comes amid increasing awareness of asbestos dangers. The additional step also helps Metro maintain its permit with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, said Ken Ray, senior spokesman for Metro.

The new rules, which take effect April 1 and are , requires DIY homeowners in many cases to wrap subject materials in double-lined plastic bags available for purchase in safety supply stores.

Asbestos fibers are found in building materials in structures built from the 1940s to the 1970s. They can increase the risk of lung disease if inhaled during home renovations or demolitions.

Under Metro’s new rules, customers will be asked upon arrival at the transfer stations if their loads contain any materials for which asbestos tests are required. If they do and they have paperwork documenting passage of the test, they’ll be allowed to deposit loads on the transfer station floor. If they don’t, they will have other options, Ray said.

One alternative for residential customers will be to leave 50 pounds or less of asbestos-containing material at a Metro household hazardous waste facility, so long as the waste is properly bagged in advance.

The other alternative is to take material to one of five private transfer stations in the Metro service area. Two landfills that will accept asbestos waste are the Hillsboro Landfill and the Wasco County Landfill in The Dalles.

“We encourage folks to call the landfill ahead of time to get the hours of operation, the cost and the instructions for how to properly prepare the materials,” Ray said.

If a Metro staffer suspects a dumped load contains asbestos, Ray said, the area will be quarantined and the suspect materials will be tested. In the case of a positive test for asbestos, Metro will track the dumper down and bill the person for the cost of remediation.

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