Asbestos Spill Testing

Get Expert Inspection

Book Now for Peace of Mind

Testing For Asbestos Spills

Colorado Air Quality Control Commission Regulation 8, Part B, creates a definition of asbestos spill in section I.B.21:

“Asbestos spill means any release of asbestos fibers due to a breach of the containment barrier on an abatement project, or due to any cause other than asbestos abatement.”

That means when your well-intentioned crew knocked down that old outbuilding behind your shop without a demolition permit, you may have already unknowingly violated state and federal asbestos regulations. What you do next could have far-reaching and potentially expensive consequences.

Do I Have an Asbestos Spill?

An Asbestos spill is caused when building materials that contain asbestos are disturbed. Materials can be disturbed in a number of ways such as Cutting, Sawing, Scraping, Prying, Breaking, Sanding, Grinding, Etc. If asbestos containing materials are disturbed then it is possible there has been a fiber release of asbestos into the air. Once way asbestos spills can be caused by someone impacting building materials that contain asbestos. The second way is by a natural disaster such as flood, fire, tree falling on house, Etc. If an event where asbestos containing materials have been disturbed then a certified inspector should look at the project. A certified inspector is able to help guide you through the process of what is required and what is not required with any state and federal laws and regulations. If in a residence more than 32 Sq Ft is disturbed then it is considered a major spill by the CDPHE (Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment). If a major spill is determined then it is required by law to clean up the spill. In order to clean up the spill a Certified General Abatement contractor (GAC) is required to perform the work. It is possible the entire property will need to be cleaned along with replacing and textiles, carpet, electronics, etc. Glass, rubber, metal, wood, can be cleaned typically.

It Spilled. Now What?

There are are a few things that need to be done when a possible spill has occurred.

First, you want to have the materials that were disturbed tested for asbestos. This can be done by testing any remaining material left behind on-site. A small amount of building material is needed to test for asbestos. If the results do come back positive it is possible clean up of the asbestos will need to be done by a certified asbestos abatement contractor. In order to find out what the scope is for the GAC you need to have the property inspected for Asbestos via micro-vac or dust wipe sampling. These results will tell you which rooms are affected and which ones are not. The GAC is then able to produce a quote for cleanup for the rooms which were affected.

With a clear picture of the problem, you can formulate a plan to mitigate the spill and emerge from situation.

Asbestos Spill Testing FAQs

If you are worried that you may have an asbestos spill, this could be due to someone disturbing suspect asbestos containing materials with out testing first. We Recommend testing the disturbed materials ASAP. EnvioCore can come our and expedite results to get you fast certified results. It is always recommended to shut off the HVAC system to minimized cross contamination. It is also recommended to limit all access to the property until results can be given. Once results are known then the next course of action can be taken. If positive then typically a General Asbestos Abatement Contractor will need to perform an asbestos clean-up of the situation.

If your home has been damaged by water or other natural disasters, it’s important to know if the insurance company will cover the cost of asbestos cleanup. Many homeowners are not aware that their insurance policy may cover the cost of asbestos abatement. The average cost of asbestos abatement is $2,500, but it can vary depending on the size of your home and the amount of asbestos that needs to be removed.

Your insurance company may also cover the cost of the water damage depending on your scenario. If you have questions about whether your insurance policy covers water damage, feel free to call us to discuss your scenario. We can connect you with a good contractor to get everything sorted out. This can be a hard time to get straight answers from people so let us help we have been down this road many times. It’s important to act quickly after a water disaster because mold can grow quickly and cause further damage to your home.

Colorado's Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) has released new regulations for asbestos cleanup. The new regulations will require property owners to hire a certified asbestos abatement contractor for any project that disturbs friable asbestos-containing material.

The CDPHE says the regulations are necessary to ensure that property owners properly clean up and dispose of asbestos, which can cause cancer and other serious health problems if inhaled.

The agency also says the regulations will help protect workers who may be exposed to asbestos during cleanup projects.

Under the new regulations, property owners must provide written notification to the CDPHE before beginning an asbestos cleanup project. The CDPHE will then send a representative to inspect the work site and make sure it is being done safely and correctly.