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That was one of the questions on the Certification test for “Accredited Asbestos Inspectors”. Most professionals in the real estate industry, along with many Home Inspectors, have been under the delusion anyone can “reach up in there and grab a sample and send it to the lab”. Well, this may be true in your own residence, it is not recommended. According to the EPA and the MDEQ the person doing a “Asbestos Inspection”, including collecting samples, on a commercial building must have taken the 24 hour class and passed the Certification Test to be an Accredited Asbestos Inspector. There is a proper way to collect these samples and a chain of command in getting lab results.

With that said, Asbestos is serious business. Public safety must come first. Before profit margins. So please be informed before you begin to remodel or demolish. A commercial building must have an Asbestos Inspection prior to renovation, remodeling or demolition. Building materials and other products containing asbestos number in the thousands. It is often impossible to be sure without the proper number of samples taken and lab test results. Building materials containing Asbestos must be abated and transported according to the rules and regulations of the EPA.

Libby Montana is defining future methods in asbestos cleanup and material handling. As a home owner or commercial building owner you should always assume the vermiculite found in your insulated areas does contain asbestos and should be treated as such. The State and local laws are constantly improving in this area. Diligently ask questions before you take actions.

As Americans and Montanans we want the future homesteads of our children and grandchildren to be safe. Their health and the health of the environment is in our hands. Do the right thing.

Some diseases associated with Asbestos exposure are; Asbestosis (a scarring of the lung), Mesothelioma, (tumors in the pleural lining) and lung cancer (which is 50 to 90 times greater if a person smokes tobacco). For more information on these diseases as related to asbestos and facts about asbestos.......www.epa.gov/asbestos/

If you would like an Asbestos Awareness Class for your group or an individual consultation regarding asbestos and your property contact BJCC Inspections, Accredited Asbestos Inspectors and Consultants.

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