Determining if asbestos is present

  • Unless it is clearly labeled, it is impossible to visually detect asbestos. If you suspect a material contains asbestos, you can hire a California state licensed asbestos consultant to conduct a survey and take samples of the materials to AIH laboratory for analysis or you can take samples yourself.
  •  If you choose to sample suspect material yourself, first wet it by using a spray bottle filled with water. After the material is thoroughly penetrated by water, carefully remove it and place it in a clean, leak-proof container or zip lock bag. Complete a chain of custody “COC” which can be find on our website under forms and documentation section. Label each sample by a number and location where you collected the sample. It is strongly recommended that you label each sample bag.