ASBESTOS

... Asbestos
To have your suspect asbestos containing material tested by ES, follow the EPA sampling instructions listed below in the section titled "How To Identify Materials That Contain Asbestos" & "Where Can I Find Asbestos and When can It be a Problem?". After, send your sample(s) along with The ASBESTOS CHAIN OF CUSTODY FORM.

Sample	Turnaround Time	Rush Service	Analysis Fee
Asbestos Bulk*	72 Hrs	48 Hrs	Call (786) 397-8743 for price Info
Asbestos*	72 Hrs	48 Hrs	Call (786) 397-8743 for price Info

Asbestos (legend)

Asbestos

Chain of Custody GUIDELINES

Online Chain of Custody

We support the following browsers: Windows: Internet Explorer,. Mac: Safari.

[ go back ]

All Analysis Results are available ONLINE, if you are a Registered CLIENT, please Log In to See Results. If you are not Registered yet Sign up to have Service ONLINE.

⇓ Asbestos* ⇓

Asbestos*: Quantization of asbestos content in bulk materials continues to present difficulties to laboratories. Methods of quantization commonly used by laboratories include volume estimation using the simple stereomicroscope, visual area estimation from slide mounts, and area estimation by point counting of slide mounts. Each of these methods may present problems that preclude obtaining accurate results. If values are to be given in weight percent, results obtained by volume estimation may be in error if significant differences in specific gravities of the asbestos and binder/matrix material are not considered. Quantization by area estimation, visually or by point counting, must take into account not only differences in the specific gravities of the asbestos and binder/matrix, but also significant differences in the thicknesses of the asbestos particles as compared to the binder/matrix particles if results are to be expressed as weight percent. Large variations in particle thickness may cause significant bias because area estimates are comparisons of projected areas and not volumes of the sample components. It is suggested that calibration standards comprised of a variety of asbestos types and concentrations, mixed with a variety of common binder/matrix materials, be prepared for "in-house" calibration of microscopes.
Asbestos is a natural mineral that was mined by itself or within other ores extensively up until its federal ban in approximately 1980. Several everyday products contained asbestos because of its insulation qualities. However, its uses were not just limited to insulation itself and could be found in anything from clothing to roofing shingles. The Environmental Protection Agency considers any product containing 1% or more asbestos to be asbestos-containing. A great deal many products fall under this classification. Because of its insulation qualities asbestos was used widely in products that required resistance to temperature transfer or heat containment. For this reason a great deal of home and construction products contained asbestos. Asbestos was banned because of its dangers to human health and because these products were so varied there are a large number of people who may have been affected by asbestos.
Asbestos can be found naturally in the air outdoors and in some drinkable water, including water from natural sources. Studies have shown that members of general (non-occupationally exposed) population have tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of asbestos fibers in each gram of dry lung tissue, which translates into millions of fibers and tens of thousands of asbestos bodies in every person's lungs.
.

⇓ How To Identify Materials That Contain Asbestos* ⇓

Asbestos*: You can't tell whether a material contains asbestos simply by looking at it, unless it is labeled. If in doubt, treat the material as if it contains asbestos or have it sampled and analyzed by a qualified professional. A professional should take samples for analysis, since a professional knows what to look for, and because there may be an increased health risk if fibers are released. In fact, if done incorrectly, sampling can be more hazardous than leaving the material alone.
.

⇓ Where Can I Find Asbestos And When Can It be A Problem?* ⇓

Asbestos*: Most products made today do not contain asbestos. Those few products made which still contain asbestos that could be inhaled are required to be labeled as such. However, until the 1970s, many types of building products and insulation materials used in homes contained asbestos. Common products that might have contained asbestos in the past, and conditions which may release fibers, include:
1. STEAM PIPES, BOILERS, and FURNACE DUCTS insulated with an asbestos blanket or asbestos paper tape. These materials may release asbestos fibers if damaged, repaired, or removed improperly.
2. RESILIENT FLOOR TILES (vinyl asbestos, asphalt, and rubber), the backing on VINYL SHEET FLOORING, and ADHESIVES used for installing floor tile. Sanding tiles can release fibers. So may scraping or sanding the backing of sheet flooring during removal.
3. CEMENT SHEET, MILLBOARD, and PAPER used as insulation around furnaces and wood burning stoves. Repairing or removing appliances may release asbestos fibers. So may cutting, tearing, sanding, drilling, or sawing insulation.
4. DOOR GASKETS in furnaces, wood stoves, and coal stoves. Worn seals can release asbestos fibers during use.
5. SOUNDPROOFING OR DECORATIVE MATERIAL sprayed on walls and ceilings. Loose, crumbly, or water-damaged material may release fibers. So will sanding, drilling, or scraping the material.
6. PATCHING AND JOINT COMPOUNDS for walls and ceilings, and TEXTURED PAINTS. Sanding, scraping, or drilling these surfaces may release asbestos.
7. ASBESTOS CEMENT ROOFING, SHINGLES, and SIDING. These products are not likely to release asbestos fibers unless sawed, drilled, or cut. ARTIFICIAL ASHES AND EMBERS sold for use in gas-fired fireplaces. Also, other older household products such as FIREPROOF GLOVES, STOVE-TOP PADS, IRONING BOARD COVERS, and certain HAIRDRYERS.
8. AUTOMOBILE BRAKE PADS AND LININGS, CLUTCH FACINGS, and GASKETS. Where Asbestos Hazards May Be Found In The Home Some roofing and siding shingles are made of asbestos cement. Houses built between 1930 and 1950 may have asbestos as insulation.
Asbestos may be present in textured paint and in patching compounds used on wall and ceiling joints. Their use was banned in 1977. Artificial ashes and embers sold for use in gas-fired fireplaces may contain asbestos. Older products such as stove-top pads may have some asbestos compounds. Walls and floors around woodburning stoves may be protected with asbestos paper, millboard, or cement sheets. Asbestos is found in some vinyl floor tiles and the backing on vinyl sheet flooring and adhesives. Hot water and steam pipes in older houses may be coated with an asbestos material or covered with an asbestos blanket or tape. Oil and coal furnaces and door gaskets may have asbestos insulation.
.