Air Date: 1-23-2015 | Episode: 353
This week we welcome Brent Kynoch the Managing Director of the Environmental Information Association (EIA) and principle of Kynoch Environmental Management Inc. EIA had its beginnings as the National Asbestos Council and is headquartered just outside of Washington, DC in Chevy Chase, MD…
Full Description:
This week we welcome Brent Kynoch the Managing Director of the Environmental Information Association (EIA) and principle of Kynoch Environmental Management Inc. EIA had its beginnings as the National Asbestos Council and is headquartered just outside of Washington, DC in Chevy Chase, MD. Mr. Kynoch has been the Managing Director of the Association since 1996, but previously had served EIA in other volunteer roles on the Board of Directors as an officer, and ultimately as the President of EIA in 1988 and 1989. EIA has spent 30 years at the forefront in providing its members with the information needed to remain knowledgeable, responsible and competitive in the environmental health and safety industry. When Mr. Kynoch changes his hat to his “paying job,” he is the President of Kynoch Environmental Management, Inc., (KEM) an environmental engineering and industrial hygiene firm also headquarted in Chevy Chase, MD. KEM provides innovative environmental solutions to general contractors, owners, property managers and the commercial real estate community to address concerns associated with asbestos, lead, indoor air quality, mold, PCBs, mercury, LEED compliance and environmental management systems.
Z-Man’s Blog
The Environmental Information Association Advantage
J.Brent Kynoch is a formally trained engineer whose first job after college graduation was with Trane Air Conditioning in the Washington, DC. Brent’s interest in HAZMAT and IAQ began when a client asked him if he thought there were profit making opportunities associated with asbestos?
Brent’s firm Kynoch Environmental Management Engineering specializes in developing preventative environmental approaches for building owners, facility operators, property managers, architects and others. Brent has served the EIA as an officer and has been the group’s Managing Director since 1996.
Nuggets mined from today’s episode:
The group formerly known as the National Asbestos Council changed its name to EIA in 1992.
The group has paralleled the growth and decline of the asbestos abatement field.
The group’s mission is to collect, generate and disseminate accurate and unbiased information about asbestos, lead, radon, IAQ and other indoor environmental hazards to its members.
The EIA differs from other groups in that it is multidisciplinary organization representing contractors, consultants, labs, training providers, equipment manufacturers and distributors, colleges and government. The group doesn’t lobby.
The group has close ties with government regulators and is a trusted resource for regulators. Regulators feel comfortable with EIA due to the group’s diverse membership base. Government has asked the group to review documents. The group has permission to update and republish the EPA’s purple book (The Guidance for Controlling Asbestos Containing Materials in Buildings, published in 1985).
The group has special pricing for government employees.
The group has 600 members in the USA and Canada, and a few in the UK. The group has chapters
The EIA will host its 31st convention in Atlanta March 22-25. The EIA has a unique membership reciprocity policy whereby members of many groups can attend at the member rate. The convention features 21 presentations and a contractor track. Presentation subjects include: asbestos abatement, CIH ethics, Ebola, Legionella, etc.
EIA is affiliated with ACAC and uses ACAC certifications.
A ground swell of new asbestos regulations are coming to close loopholes in the existing regulations.
EIA members opine that there is too little enforcement activity due to budgetary concerns.
The Zonolite Attic Insulation Trust will pay a percentage of the cost of removing vermiculite insulation.www.zonoliteatticinsulation.com/
Two wishes of the EIA: gain more contractors as members and keep government employees involved.
There are affordable and permanent solutions for radon.
New asbestos regulations in DC require property owners to hire 3rd parties to perform air monitoring during asbestos removal projects.
Through new regulations Maryland Regulators are steering property owners to removing lead through costly fees. Owners of property built prior to 1978 must pay an annual fee of $30 per unit and must fund costly lead dust risk assessments every time property turns over. A onetime $10 fee applies for property “certified as lead free”.
It’s still legal to import and use some asbestos containing materials during construction.
On fire and water damage restoration projects contractors need to be aware that drywall joint compound may contain asbestos.
Comments from listeners:
Joy Finch: “Not only networking with peers, but also regulators- getting a chance to gain a better understanding of their perspective…another EIA advantage!”
“There are a few efforts underway to address asbestos concerns in building codes..this has been done in a few jurisdictions but not as a widespread practice.
Pete Consigli: “Asbestos is the oldest contaminant we have had to deal with.”
Today’s Music: Asbestos Lead Asbestos by World Domination Enterprises
Z-Man signing off