NYS Department Of Health Vermiculite Clarification

New York State Department of Health's (NYSDOH) Environmental Laboratory Approval Program (ELAP) has released an update that revises FAQ #10 from the 4/8/11 FAQ document.  This update is posted at:
http://www.wadsworth.org/labcert/elapcert/forms/Vermiculite%20Guidance_Rev062212.pdf.  

The revision separates vermiculite into two types.  Vermiculite material used for thermal systems insulation (TSI), surfacing materials, and other miscellaneous ACM (including but not limited to:  existing or new surfacing material, plaster, pipe lagging, and sprayed-on fireproofing) or vermiculite material used for attic fill, block fill, and other loose bulk vermiculite material.  For the vermiculite material used for attic fill, etc. nothing has changed.  We still cannot analyze it and material must be assumed to contain asbestos and designated an asbestos containing material.

New Evaluation for Surfacing Material Containing Vermiculite

For the vermiculite used for TSI, surfacing material, etc. anaylze by ELAP certification manual item 198.1 (polarized light microscopy [PLM] friable method).  Vermiculite evaluation shall follow these three steps:

1. If vermiculite is calculated to be less than 10% of the entire material composition and no asbestos fibers are detected, the material may be reported as non-ACM.
2. If any asbestos fibers are identified, analysis must proceed according to Item 198.1 PLM and reported as ACM according to Section 6.3.
3. If vermiculite is calculated to be 10% or more of the material, the material must be reported as ACM.

According to NYSDOH ELAP the reason for the difference is that vermiculite used for TSI, etc can be more constrained that loose fill, there is less of a public health concern pertaining to airborne asbestos fibers following disturbance.

Related articles

• NYSDOH ELAP Decision Trees (futureenv.blogspot.com)
• Who would buy asbestos? (safetyatworkblog.com)

Happy 4th of July! Celebrate Our Heros And Our Freedoms!

Happy 4th of July, the day we celebrate the founding of our Great Country!  Much blood, sweat, and tears (great name for a band) have been spilled to get to where we are today (please remember and honor our heros today who have served in the various wars - Revolutionary, War of 1812, Civil War, Spanish-American, WWI, WWII, Korean, Vietnam, Cold, Operation Freedom, Afganistan, and Iraq).  In addition, alot of breath, ink, and paper (not so great name for a band) has documented our ups and downs along the path to greatness.  As an American, I haven't always agreed with our direction (as many others at various times) but I have always been proud of my country.  No where else can you state your opinion without fear of being jailed or killed.  No where else do we have the opportunity to become as great or as little as we want to be.  No where else do we get a choice of who to vote for (kind of?).  Though we may disagree with each other on politics (I'm a Progressive, not a Liberal), sports (Go Mets and Steelers!), and religion (I'm a Taoist), in the end we are all Americans, we are all brothers and sisters, and together we can overcome anything!



My USA point of view!

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