Air Monitoring During Asbestos Abatement

Quality control, air monitoring during asbestos abatement projects and project oversight are conducted by certified State of Colorado Air Monitoring Specialists.   In conjunction with an accredited laboratory, our specialists can accurately evaluate indoor air quality to assure a healthy working environment.  Weecycle employs Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and/or EPA Certified Air Monitoring Specialists, Lead Inspectors, Asbestos Inspectors, Management Planners, and Project Designers.

Weecycle’s personnel, who are certified by the CDPHE, will perform air monitoring and on-site analysis during asbestos removal projects.  Air monitoring duties consist of two major activities: (1) air monitoring, and (2) compliance monitoring (i.e., contractor adherence to project specification).  Air monitoring and PCM analysis is performed to ensure minimal fiber releases in the asbestos abatement work areas and surrounding spaces.  

Air monitoring will be provided at all times during the project as follows: (1) prior to initiation of abatement activities (background), (2) during abatement activities, and (3) at the completion of the project (referred to as final visuals and clearance air sampling).  The final clearance samples will be collected after the asbestos removal activity in each work area is completed and the area is free of dirt, dust and debris.  The placement of the final clearance air monitoring samples will be according to the configuration of the containments and ingress/egress points to the enclosure area.  Sampling will be completed using a series of floor fans (based on the cubic feet) and a leaf blower (depending on the square feet) to duplicate occupied conditions and to ensure that any residual asbestos fibers are entrained and filtered prior to exhausting out of the building.

All air monitoring samples, collected during the project, will be analyzed using phase contrast microscopy (PCM) methods and will be compared against applicable asbestos regulations and standards.  The final clearances will utilize 0.01 fibers per cubic centimeter (f/cc) as the clearance criteria.   Air samples that are analyzed with 7 fibers per square millimeter of filter area (limit of quantification) will be reported as a less than (<) number per the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Method 7400.  The final air samples will be analyzed on site utilizing the referenced NIOSH Method counting rules and all air monitoring samples must be at or below the clearance criteria of 0.01 f/cc prior to allowing the contractor to demobilize.