Asbestos Testing

Asbestos is a substance that used to be commonly used in buildings and is now know to be an extremely harmful carcinogen. So asbestos testing is a serious matter and should be seen as practically a matter of life and death. To help us understand more about the dangers of asbestos, the Environmental Protection Agency, along with the American Lung Association and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, have provided guidelines when it comes to asbestos and asbestos testing (http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/hwtr/demodebris/pages2/asbsample.html).

According to these guidelines, you cannot tell if a material is asbestos by just looking at it. So if you are concerned that you might have a problem with asbestos exposure, you need to get a sample of the material and send it in for asbestos testing. To do this safely, you must wear disposable gloves and wash your hands after you get the sample. Try not to disturb any of the material in question while you cut a small sample. Place the sample in a container that you can close tightly and label the container when you are done.

Once you have a sample, you must send it to a laboratory that is accredited to perform asbestos analysis. Asbestos testing is conducted in a certified testing lab because samples must be analyzed using a special microscope, using the Polarized Light Microscopy Test Method. You can find an asbestos testing laboratory near you by searching online or looking in your local phone book.

Related Information

Lead Testing
HUD and the EPA have specific requirements when it comes to lead testing.

Environmental Laboratories
Environmental laboratories can test myriad materials for possible environmental contaminants.