To begin testing for asbestos, collect a small sample of the asbestos-containing material that needs to be collected, bagged, and tagged. The asbestos testing lab will also need a COC—chain of custody form filled out and included with your samples to be processed.
Using a box cutting knife, you will need to cut about a 3 square inch piece of the material tested. To avoid fibers from becoming airborne during the process, spray the area you will be cutting with some soapy water first, make sure you are also wearing latex gloves, and not run any fans. Also, clear the area making sure no one else is with you in the room. Then take your samples and place them in little sealable bags and mark them with a number. Use some spackle or a similar product to cover the exposed area when you have completed collecting the samples.
Download and fill out the asbestos testing lab COC form and include it in a bag with your samples. Now you can either drop off the pieces, but you can also send your samples for asbestos testing. It is best to send them using a tracking number so you can locate your package in case there is a delivery issue.
How do labs test for asbestos?
Once the asbestos testing lab receives your samples, they will probably break down your pieces to read them under Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM) NIOSH Method 9002. An optical microscopy technique for analyzing bulk samples for asbestos in which the sample is illuminated with polarized light—light that vibrates in only one plane—distinguishes between different types of asbestos fibers, their shape, and unique optical properties.
The asbestos testing lab can also use NIOSH Method 7400—a light microscopy analytical method known as NIOSH Phase Contrast Microscopy (PCM) Method 7400. It uses a light-enhancing microscope technology that employs an optical mechanism to translate small variations in phase into corresponding amplitude changes, resulting in high contrast images. Historically, this method was used to measure airborne fibers in occupational environments; however, it cannot differentiate asbestos fibers from other threads.
How much does it cost to test for asbestos?
It will cost between $25-$40 for a three day turn around time from receipt to obtain asbestos testing results. The lab can deliver the results by email, by mail, over the phone, or in-person.
Where can I send a sample for asbestos testing?
You can send a sample for asbestos testing to 5 microns Inc. or you can also drop-off your examples to us 24 hours a day using our drop-box outside of our office at 7100 Fort Dent Way in Tukwila, WA 98188. You will need to download and fill out our COC form, follow the instructions on the sheet before you mail in your asbestos samples, or drop them off. If you have any questions or concerns, you can always give us a call Monday-Friday between the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. I hope this article helped answer your questions. We would love to hear from you soon.
Mail in samples to the following address *at Tabor 100 co-working offices:
5 Microns Inc.
7100 Fort Dent Way #100
Tukwila, WA 98188
IMPORTANT-MUST READ FIRST: All mail-in samples must have a tracking number and include our asbestos chain of custody form to be processed. If the chain of custody form is missing, your sample(s) will not be accepted and processed. Drop-offs MUST have the COC form inside your package but not in the sample bag. DO NOT MAIL YOUR SAMPLES BY FIRST CLASS MAIL. Send your sample(s) via USPS Priority Mail, UPS, and FedEx. It is essential to closely follow these directions so our asbestos testing lab can promptly process your sample(s).
*PLEASE NOTE FOR ALL DROP-OFFS: All samples must be dropped off at the back of the office building located at 7100 Fort Dent Way Tukwila WA outside the Tabor 100 Office and placed inside the black drop-box pictured below. Do not take your samples to the front desk. The front desk will not accept drop-offs over the counter, NO EXCEPTIONS!
