Asbestos Testing Services

Asbestos can be found in vinyl flooring, floor tiles, popcorn ceilings, HVAC ducts, shingles, siding, and more. The only certain way to know if building materials contain asbestos is to sample each material individually.

EnvioCore can identify suspect building materials and collect appropriate samples as required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). We then provide a detailed report that outlines the lab findings. This report provides the information necessary for you to apply for any necessary building permits and keep your project moving forward.

Asbestos that is in good condition and left undisturbed is unlikely to present a health risk. However, when asbestos-containing materials are damaged or disturbed, asbestos fibers become airborne and can be inhaled, which causes a number of health concerns.

The primary concern with asbestos is respiratory/lung issues, but asbestos can cause a variety of health issues. Some of the issues that are caused by breathing asbestos fibers include:

• Asbestosis
• Mesothelioma
• Lung cancer
• Other types of cancer

For more information, see the National Cancer Institute’s fact sheet on asbestos here.

It’s not possible to tell whether a material in your home contains asbestos simply by looking at it. If you suspect a material within your home might contain asbestos, or if you are planning on performing a renovation, the EPA recommends that you have affected materials sampled by a properly trained and accredited asbestos professional. The professional then should use a qualified laboratory to perform the asbestos analysis.

It’s also possible to learn about whether the replacement materials you intend to install might possibly contain asbestos by reading the product labels, calling the manufacturer, or by asking your retailer to provide you with a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for the product(s) in question.

If you have vermiculite insulation, you should assume this material contains asbestos and take precautions to protect yourself and your family from exposure.

The EPA recommends that vermiculite insulation be left undisturbed. Airborne asbestos fibers are dangerous, and attempting to remove or disturb the material can release fibers into the air.

If you want vermiculite insulation removed from your home, the work should be done by a trained and accredited asbestos abatement contractor.

The timeline of asbestos bans is a bit complicated. The EPA began rolling out some limitations as early as 1973, but there are several materials that weren’t affected by the first round of bans. In fact, some asbestos-containing materials are still legal today.

For more information on the history of asbestos bans, click here.

To check out the EPA’s page on asbestos regulation, click here.

EnvioCore is certified in the state of Colorado to perform asbestos inspections for projects that include demolitions, renovations, restorations, building permits, and more. However, we are NOT certified to abate or remove any of the asbestos. EnvioCore works closely with local asbestos abatement companies, so we can recommend professionals who have shown good abatement practices.

Our certification number is #21660, and it is registered under the name EnvioCore.

The EPA and local CDPHE recommends that you use an asbestos abatement contractor who is properly trained to handle asbestos.

EnvioCore can test for asbestos, but we’re not certified to remove it. If we find asbestos in your home, we can recommend an abatement company.

An EPA investigation into these products indicates that consumers face only a minimal health risk from using vermiculite products at home or in their gardens. To further reduce the risk associated with the occasional use of vermiculite products during gardening activities, the EPA recommends that consumers:

• Use vermiculite outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.
• Keep vermiculite damp during use to avoid creating dust.
• Avoid bringing dust into the home on clothing.

Although EPA does not endorse the use of any particular product, consumers may use:

• Premixed potting soils, which ordinarily contain more moisture and less vermiculite than pure vermiculite products, so they are less likely to generate dust.
• Soil amendment materials other than vermiculite, such as peat, sawdust, perlite or bark.