Abstract
In order to enhance its regulations and measures, there have been recent amendments made to the Air Pollution Control Law and Ordinance on Prevention of Health Impairment due to Asbestos. Contents of the amendments include expanding the types of asbestos-containing building materials subject to the regulations, enshrining into the law a preliminary inspection method prior to the demolition of buildings, and introducing a non-probationary penalty system for the violation of work standards during demolition of buildings.
Under the amended law and ordinance, it is required that a comprehensive preliminary inspection be conducted and the follow-up report is obliged to clearly show evidence of whether any of the building materials contain asbestos or not. It must also show the areas where any asbestos-containing materials were used. This paper discusses the difficulties and problems of the preliminary inspection based on the synthetic research and diagnosis methods used by Nippon Asbestos Diagnosis Association (NADA).
