What is a friable material under NESHAP?

• A. Materials that crumble under water exposure
• B. Non friable materials
• C. Asbestos content less than 0.1%
• D. >1% asbestos that can be crumbled into dust by hand pressure.

Answer: (D)

Friable material in NESHAP terms means asbestos-containing material that can be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure, and it must contain more than 1% asbestos to be regulated as friable ACM. This combination signals a high potential to release asbestos fibers into the air when disturbed, which is why such materials are subject to strict controls during removal or renovation. The other ideas—crumbling only under water exposure, or materials that are non-friable, or asbestos content below the threshold—do not meet the regulatory criteria for friable ACM.