Asbestos and Silica
We and our team of partners are trained to test for, remediate, abate and remove asbestos, which has been classified by the EPA as a hazardous pollutant.
Our partner laboratory examines the material with a super high powered microscope to identify the microscopic small particles.
Asbestos is found in many structures and building materials including heating insulation, piping insulation, ceilings and tiles, etc, depending much on age and year of construction. Asbestos is still manufactured in numerous materials. It is often encountered and disturbed by remediation, renovation and demolition.
Asbestos refers to a family of magnesium-silicate mineral fibres that can become inhalable and respirable when disturbed, leading to diseases such as asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer. Asbestosis is the formation of scar tissue because of encapsulated fibres in the lung from respirable asbestos fibres that damage the cells of the lungs. Asbestos particles are so small, elongated, hard and sharp that it took new high powered electron microscope technology to see the particles. Short term exposure may be hazardous, poisonous and fatal.
Silica is a naturally occurring substance that consists of the two most abundant elements in the earth’s crust; silica and oxygen. There are two forms namely crystalline and amorphous. Silicosis is a lung disease caused by inhalation, retention and pulmonary reaction to crystalline silica and when it becomes symptomatic, the primary symptom is difficulty in breathing and shortness of breath.
Both contain crystalline silica specifically quartz and cristobalite. No amount of asbestos or silica exposure is safe, it is important to control respirable and inhalable asbestos and silica dust at its source to save lives.
Infants and young children with less developed immune systems, older adults and immuno-compromised individuals are at higher risk.
There are regulatory notification requirements, procedures for control, waster disposal and air cleaning.
Before you occupy, renovate or purchase any home or commercial facility, have it tested. Call us at 404-995-4651!
