Asbestos in Soils

Our asbestos services are growing! We offer a range of soil sampling and analysis including;

Soil Contamination - Asbestos in Soils.

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Identification and Quantification of Asbestos in Soils by Phase Contrast Mircoscopy and Polarised Light Microscopy

Soil Analysis - Qualitative - Presence / Absence - Accredited

Soil Analysis - Quantification & Semi-Quantification - Accredited

Analysis

Naturally occurring asbestos in soils is not common in New Zealand,  its presence is usually related to activities such as; discarded building materials, historical demolition practices, illegal dumping, asbestos pipes, water blasting of asbestos containing building materials, and run-off from aged asbestos roofing. Runoff from asbestos containing roofing and other materials can lead to a detectable build-up of fibres in the soil surrounding buildings, usually associated with commercial or industrial properties and contamination through water blasting at residential properties. We carry out sampling and analysis of soils - semi-quantification, full quantification and presence / absence analysis. The risk to people from inhaling airborne asbestos fibres generally exists when the asbestos is on the soil surface (or brought to the surface) and there is contact with the air. It is possible, that in certain conditions and circumstances (eg dried-out surface material), soils could, when disturbed (and in the absence of controls), release fibres into the air.

If you think your property and surrounding soil is contaminated with Asbestos please give us a call (04 566 3311) or send an email with a brief outline of your situation and we will get back to you right away.

Asbestos_in_Soils_CES.jpgBRANZ Asbestos in Soils Guidelines provide current practice for the sampling and analysis of soils for asbestos in New Zealand. Our methods for quantitative analysis of asbestos are based on The Standing Committee for Analysts "The Quantification of Asbestos in Soils" 2017, and AS 4964:2004 Method for Qualitative Identification of Asbestos in Bulk Samples.

If you are looking for accredited qualitative (presence/absence) or quantification analysis please contact the laboratory to discuss soil sample requirements.Collecting soil samples should always follow good practice methodologies including BRANZ Guidelines, and The Land Contamination Assessment Guidelines published by the Ministry for the Environmental (MfE) available from the Ministry for the Environments's website.

 

 

Asbestos is our priority and we recommend you contact a contaminated land specialist for assessment of heavy metals, hydrocarbons and other contaminants.

Sampling for asbestos in soils should be carried out by suitably experienced personnel. Please contact us if you think your soil has been contaminated with asbestos to discuss the procedures.