While putting items in your coat closet, you accidentally scraped the popcorn texture, which is now loose and continues to fall inside that closet. Asbestos is considered a carcinogen—it can cause cancer. Now you are concerned about your family’s safety and want to know if the material has asbestos and take measures to protect your family from exposure. The EPA declares there is no safe exposure to asbestos.
In 1978, the EPA banned asbestos in certain products, and texture material such as popcorn ceiling texture or any textured material that can be sprayed or troweled on can no longer contain asbestos. It was used in texture material for decorative and acoustic purposes.
You can find asbestos in texturing material, roofing material, vinyl flooring, gaskets, brake pads, pipe insulation, and drywall, to name a few. There is no outright ban on asbestos in the United States, but it is banned for use in certain products.
Popcorn texture is fairly easy to collect yourself, but you should hire an expert who will use the right equipment and proper procedure to get the job done right for your safety. The professional will need to conduct an AHERA survey and collect the samples following regulations. They will need to get a minimum number of samples from different places to ensure there isn’t a false negative. The professional will need to document the areas they sample by drawing a diagram showing the layout of the space and taking photographs of the samples and places where they are collected. The inspector will write a full report for the client and may also write an asbestos abatement plan.
Asbestos testing lab
A certified asbestos testing lab must examine Asbestos-containing material through Polarized light Microscopy or Transmission Electron Microscopy. The result from the lab will show the presence, type, and quantity of asbestos.
Asbestos testing lab near me
If you worked with an excellent general contractor in the past, you could ask them for a reference to an asbestos inspector, they have likely worked with at least one in the past that they can recommend to you, but you can also search online for one. Look at their reviews before choosing one. 5 Microns Inc. professionals are experts in the field of asbestos, we can assist you with all your asbestos testing needs. However, we don’t perform the abatement as it is a conflict of interest. We also offer lab testing services; you can drop off or send us your samples for testing. Results are available the next day. 5 Microns Inc. also offers lead, mold, radon, soil, drinking water, and much more testing. We are open Monday to Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM and Saturday from 9 AM to 3:30 PM.
Mail-in samples to the following address:
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 general 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!
