ABSTRACT
Underlying all concerns about asbestos, its presence, concentration, health effects, and appropriate management, are means of sampling, identification, and quantification of the fibers. Laboratory accreditation programs, conducted under the auspices of the US Environmental Protection Agency and professional associations, seek to raise continually both standards and quality by regular monitoring, and eliminating laboratories unable to meet the established criteria. Approved laboratories are central to the process of identifying and quantifying asbestos in both bulk and air samples. In fact, building assessments cannot begin without bulk samples. Strategy for sampling of bulk materials often begins with a review of the construction history of the building. As with nonfriable material it is important to show that the sample is from a homogeneous area. Sampling of friable material places two requirements on the investigator. First is the need to obtain a representative sample, and second is the need to prevent the dispersal of asbestos into the environment.
