Found a few dubious looking chunks in the garden beds and I want to find out what I am dealing with before proceeding.
Lab testing prices seem to be a bit random - can anyone recommend cheap Asbestos sample testing that is accredited?
Recommend Cheap Asbestos Lab Sample Testing?
King Tightarse on 18/12/2023 - 10:26
Comments
Asbestos test
You can't tell if a material contains asbestos just by looking at it. Only scientific testing of a sample can confirm this.
An asbestos sample must be tested by an asbestos laboratory approved by the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA).
A competent person should collect the sample for you. People that can do this are professional occupational hygienists, licensed asbestos removalists or a NATA accredited asbestos laboratory.
https://www.asbestos.vic.gov.au/about-asbestos/finding-and-identifying/find-and-identify-asbestos-tool?place=home&room=outside
Contact ALS or Eurofins to get a quote.
Thanks guys that's good info but I more mean sample testing labs - a lot of the lab websites are not very public facing.
prices are pretty inconsistent. I suspect some of the cheaper ones send the samples offshore.
I have prepared my samples and bagged them up
Seem to be between $40 to $100 per sample but would like to find a cheap one that is still proper quality
Did it occur to you this is a public safety issue and that one of the multiple asbestos support groups or support advocates would have that basic sampling information. Are you wanting to address risk or go asbestos mining?
FYI there are other minerals which look fibrous like asbestos, and are also a respiratory risk if inhaled.
You could get a local asbestos assessor to come and do a full inspection of your house. It'll cost more but at least you'll understand where else it might be in your home.
Most of the ones I've dealt with also offer to come back for free and check anything you expose later on as part of renovations etc.
I just use the scratch and sniff technique.
If it's concrete super 6, it will be smooth. If it's Asbestos, you will see the fibres clearer, almost like fiberglass texture.
That does not tell you what kind of asbestos it is
I used Hazcal in Bayswater.
They performed same day testing for me (I was in a rush due to renovations) at cost of $77 per test.
I double bagged the sample and dropped off for them.
I paid $90 for mine. Can’t remember where, but it looks like we’re all in the ballpark.
Try asking the council.
Thats a good idea
Just to be safe don't mention your address when asking.
Gave em call but no dice in my area- good idea though
I used these guys last time I needed a test
https://www.asbestosassessments.com.au/order-kit/asbestos-te…yeah, I thought they looked reasonable from Googling - will probably go with that crew unless I can find it cheaper
Its $66.00 per sample and I have two to test so $132
Got my results. Both samples positive :(
Just goes to show - my house was built in 2020. I though I was clear of the rotten stuff.
Seems they used some kind of contaminated (possible soil from another site) in the garden beds and there was some old-feller self made shelving in the shed.
My neighbor told me the previous owner "never through anything away, in case it was useful" which obviously included old asbestos sheeting.
Not happy, Jan.It's in the garden, why stressed out? You're not gonna sniff through it, it'll always be moist and hardly have any chance flying around. Probably more than half of the population lives under dry asbestos sheet and they have been for years with no issue. With sensible caution there's hardly any risk.
I'm not surprised if it's in the garden bed, I bought soil from the garden centre and get odd bits all the time, there was a guy here not long ago even got nasty herbicide residue in it killing all his plants.Yeah its in what was our vege garden, so we would have been in there all the time, digging, weeding etc.
I really think they have used some soil from a demo IE 'free' soil you sometimes see. I now realize that there are all kinds of things mixed in with it, bit of plastic, roof tiles etc,. I didnt think too much about it until I was preparing it last week and kept finding suss chunks.
Am fairly disappointment and a bit alarmed. I was doing my best to get clear of it (as much as possible in Australia) by buying a post 2000 build.
I used sers.net.au 1.5 years ago. Testing was $27.5 per sample. They have facilities in Perth, Bris and Sydney.
Thanks Pascal, that's a really great price
https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/resource-library/asbestos-pu…