Sample of vermiculite material, including a small asbestos amphibole found inside (small bundle/flake towards the bottom right corner)
Vermiculite sampling instructions
The preferred method for analyzing vermiculite for asbestos is by use of the EPA 600/R-04/004 or "Cincinnati" Method. The nature of Vermiculite is such that standard PLM analysis exhibits a very high risk of a false negative and the Cincinnati Method should then be used to give a more precise (final results are given as a percentage of total weight) result.
Regular PLM analysis suffers from an insufficient sample size to determine presence/absence of asbestos. The bundles will shift and sort throughout the material over time and small or improperly sampled vermiculite has the risk of completely missing bundles in the sampled segment that may be present in clusters/pockets/evenly distributed in other areas. To deal with this, the Cincinnati method requires a much larger sample size and far more in-depth analysis as required to give an accurate count of asbestos in the material (if any).
We require at least one full one-gallon zip bag of the material in question to perform this analysis properly, using the Cincinnati Method. . Care should be taken to scoop down to the bottom layer and upwards when filling the bag as well as sampling from different areas. Doing this ensures we receive material from various depths within the material.
Regular PLM analysis is allowed for vermiculite with the addition of a disclaimer stating that results have a high risk of a false negative, given the sample size. If you choose to use PLM analysis for vermiculite you do not need to gather a gallon of the material; a few tablespoons to 1/4 cup is all that's needed.
Like all other asbestos sampling, care should be taken to double bag your sample to minimize the risk of exposure to yourself and lab staff.
Please contact lab staff if you have any questions regarding vermiculite.
Regular PLM analysis suffers from an insufficient sample size to determine presence/absence of asbestos. The bundles will shift and sort throughout the material over time and small or improperly sampled vermiculite has the risk of completely missing bundles in the sampled segment that may be present in clusters/pockets/evenly distributed in other areas. To deal with this, the Cincinnati method requires a much larger sample size and far more in-depth analysis as required to give an accurate count of asbestos in the material (if any).
We require at least one full one-gallon zip bag of the material in question to perform this analysis properly, using the Cincinnati Method. . Care should be taken to scoop down to the bottom layer and upwards when filling the bag as well as sampling from different areas. Doing this ensures we receive material from various depths within the material.
Regular PLM analysis is allowed for vermiculite with the addition of a disclaimer stating that results have a high risk of a false negative, given the sample size. If you choose to use PLM analysis for vermiculite you do not need to gather a gallon of the material; a few tablespoons to 1/4 cup is all that's needed.
Like all other asbestos sampling, care should be taken to double bag your sample to minimize the risk of exposure to yourself and lab staff.
Please contact lab staff if you have any questions regarding vermiculite.