Green Building Elements

A homeowner received a proposal for $1045 to remove asbestos panels.  The panels did not contain asbestos.

Jim Lee thought he had asbestos panels in his laundry room.  When he bought his home last year, the property inspector flagged fibrous panels behind the washer and drier as possible “asbestos containing material”.  Jim called three different asbestos remediation companies for estimates.

Jim asked me for advice on selecting the best remediation company.  I did some environmental testing when Jim bought the home, and he respected my opinion.  I asked to see the lab report on the suspect material.

Jim did not have a lab report.  Not one of the remediation companies sent a sample to a laboratory.  All THREE inspectors claimed they could identify asbestos just by looking at it.  At that point, I knew all three companies were unethical.

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Asbestos can only be identified under a microscope.  A certified laboratory examines a sample under polarized light, looking for telltale asbestos fibers.  A lab report will indicate the type and percent of asbestos in the sample.

Initially unconvinced, but willing to take my advice, Jim collected a sample and sent it to a lab.  EPA does not recommend untrained persons collect asbestos samples, so we carefully reviewed the procedure.

• Moisten the material using a spray bottle of water.
• Carefully tweeze a small sample of the suspect material.  A sample about one half inch square is ample.
• Seal the sample in a zip lock bag.
• Request Asbestos-EPA Method 600/R-93/116 from a certified laboratory.

The cost for a homeowner is about $65/sample.  My cost (as a regular client) is just $7/sample, so I let Jim submit the sample under my name.

We had the lab report a week later.  The sample contained no detectable asbestos.  A $7 lab test alleviated Jim’s worries and a possible $1045 remediation job.

Is remediation advisable, even when asbestos is present?  EPA advises against asbestos remediation when the material is intact and in good condition.  The California Department of Health Services gives the same advice.  Removal of asbestos containing material can release asbestos fibers into the air.  Airborne asbestos concentration is often higher after remediation that it was before.

Not one of the remediation companies tested the material for asbestos.  Not one of the companies told Jim the best option is to leave asbestos containing material in place, provided the material is intact and will not be disturbed.  EPA recommends asbestos be “managed” by avoiding contact with the material.  “Encapsulation” of the material is also an option recommended by EPA.

Jim was delighted to learn that he did not have asbestos in his laundry room.  However, we were both left with concerns about unethical remediation companies.  A general recommendation is to avoid companies that do both testing and remediation.  Many government agencies require third part testing.  A homeowner can do the same.

The EPA website is an excellent resource on environmental and health issues in the home.  Many state websites provide similar information.  Those sites should be the first stop for a homeowner concerned about a healthy home environment.

Photo courtesy of USGS.

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