Section 12-12-3. Definitions

   As used in this chapter, the term:

   (1) "Asbestos" means any naturally occurring hydrated mineral silicates separable into commercially used fibers, specifically the asbestiform varieties of serpentine, chrysotile; cummingtomite-grunerite; amosite; riebeckite, crocidolite; anthophyllite; tremolite; and actinolite.

   (2) "Asbestos supervisor" means any individual who is employed or engaged by a contractor to supervise the removal, encapsulation, cleaning, or disposal of friable asbestos-containing materials.

   (3) "Board" means the Board of Natural Resources.

   (4) "Contractor" means any person who contracts with an owner or operator of a facility or residential dwelling to perform the removal or encapsulation of friable asbestos-containing material from any such facility or residential dwelling. Such term shall not include any employee of such owner or operator.

   (5) "Director" means the director of the Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Natural Resources or his or her designee.

   (6) "Division" means the Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Natural Resources.

   (7) "Emergency project" means the removal or encapsulation of friable asbestos-containing material from any facility where such activity must be conducted immediately in order to prevent disruption of a commercial or industrial process or activity or destruction of property.

   (8) "Encapsulation" means the process of coating, binding, or resurfacing walls, ceilings, pipes, or other structures with a sealant to prevent friable asbestos from becoming airborne.

   (9) "Facility" means any institutional, commercial, or industrial structure, installation, or building, including an apartment building having more than four dwelling units.

   (10) "Friable asbestos-containing material" means any material which is applied onto ceilings, walls, structural members, piping, boilers, tanks, pumps, ductwork, or any other part of the building containing more than 1 percent asbestos, by weight, and which when dry may be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure.

   (11) "Person" means any individual, partnership, association, trust, firm, corporation, county, municipality, or other entity, including the state and federal governments.

   (12) "Project" means the removal or encapsulation by a contractor of friable asbestos-containing material from any facility or residential dwelling.

   (13) "Removal" means the process of taking out, stripping, cleaning up, or disposing friable or potentially friable asbestos-containing materials from any facility or residential dwelling.

   (14) "Residential dwelling" means any family residence or apartment building with four or fewer dwelling units.

   (15) "Small project" means any asbestos removal or encapsulation project involving less than 160 square feet or 260 linear feet of friable asbestos-containing materials.

Code 1981, § 12-12-3, enacted by Ga. L. 1986, p. 1157, § 1; Ga. L. 1996, p. 238, § 1; Ga. L. 2006, p. 72, § 12/SB 465.