EPA memorandum on carpet asbestos testing, June 2002

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

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HOW TO USE EPA’s ULTRASONICATION EXTRACTION TEST FOR CARPET, DRAPES, AND UPHOLSTERY The most meaningful asbestos test that a resident can have, whether or not they have a consultant to take samples, is EPA’s ultrasonication extraction test for carpeting, draperies, or upholstery fabric. This method was developed specifically for carpeting by EPA’s Risk Reduction Laboratory.' The method number is EPA 600/J-93/167, the Millette ultrasonication carpet method. Over 100 times the amount of asbestos will be found in carpet using EPA’s ultrasonication test, compared to the ASTM microvacuum sampling method.^

The ultrasonication extraction test does not require any special equipment, such a micro-vacuum pump, or an air testing pump. Therefore, no industrial hygienist or other consultant needs to be hired to do the sampling. The only cost will be the lab fee. However, this means cutting out at least 16 square inches (100 square centimeters) of carpeting or other fabrics and sending it to the laboratory. See below for ideas on how to take samples without incurring unreasonable replacement costs for carpet, drapery, or upholstery.

An ultrasonication test may be the best way to tell if asbestos is present in a residence or office. Carpeting and upholstered fabric can be tested to see if it needs abatement, or it can be tested after abatement to determine whether it was decontaminated. Hard smooth surfaces may show no asbestos contamination with the ASTM microvacuum method if tested soon after cleaning. But carpeting cannot be cleaned effectively, and will show any residual asbestos.

Air testing is problematic for determining whether there is an asbestos problem. The aggressive AHERA TEM clearance test, using a leaf blower, may not show any asbestos at all, much less over 70 structures/square millimeter, even when there are extremely high levels of asbestos dust on surfaces. This was found to be true for ±e Brookfield, Connecticut school system, where schools were cleaned in the year 2000, and the AHERA TEM clearance test showed no problems.’ Recently, however, asbestos dust levels on some surfaces in several schools was several thousand structures per square centimeter ( s/cm’ ), and in two instances over 3 million and 14 million s/cm"'?

The AHERA TEM clearance test also can be highly erratic, giving very different readings when it is repeated at the same location.^ Furthermore, there is too much temptation to control the results to certify that the area has no asbestos problems.

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