How can asbestos be identified?
While it is often possible to “suspect” that a material or product is/or contains asbestos by visual determination, actual determinations can only be made by instrumental analysis. Until a suspect product is tested, it is best to assume that the product contains asbestos, unless the label, or the manufacturer verifies that it does not. The EPA requires that the asbestos content of suspect materials subject to regulatory requirements be determined by collecting bulk samples and analyzing them by polarized light microscopy (PLM), with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) recommended for some materials. The PLM technique determines both the percent and type of asbestos in the bulk material. EPA Regional Offices can provide information about laboratories that test for asbestos.
