Do you need to characterize soil, fill or granular material that may contain asbestos?
Lab’Eau-Air-Sol performs asbestos analyses on different types of materials from construction, excavation, earthworks and land rehabilitation projects.
About the analysis
Understanding asbestos analysis
What is asbestos?
Asbestos is a term for a group of naturally occurring minerals with a fibrous structure. These minerals may occur naturally in certain geological formations or be present in materials as a result of human activities.
Asbestos in soil and granular materials
Asbestos in soil and aggregates may be associated with the materials’ natural geological composition or with the use of asbestos-containing materials in fill and development work.
Traces of asbestos may be found in some materials from regions such as Côte-Nord and Abitibi-Témiscamingue. However, a material’s geographic origin alone cannot determine whether it contains asbestos.
What does the analysis involve?
The analysis involves examining a soil or granular material sample in the laboratory to check for asbestos.
This process documents the composition of the material analysed and provides information useful for its characterization.
Types of materials that can be analysed
- Soil
- Sand
- Gravel
- Natural or recycled aggregates
- Fill materials
- Road materials
- Excavated materials and earthworks materials
- Mining residues
An analysis adapted to your material
Soil and granular materials can have very different characteristics depending on their composition, particle size and origin.
It is therefore important to identify the type of material and the context of your project to determine the appropriate approach.
When should you request this analysis?
Asbestos analysis in soil and aggregates may be useful in several situations, including:
- Before excavation, earthworks or construction.
- When characterizing soil or fill.
- When a granular material is suspected of containing asbestos.
- As part of land rehabilitation or development projects.
- To obtain information about materials that will be handled, moved or reused.
Why test soil for asbestos?
The possible presence of asbestos may influence decisions about how materials are handled, managed or sent to their destination within a project.
Laboratory analysis provides data about the sample submitted to support decisions by the professionals responsible for the work.
Sampling
How do you collect a sample?
Consult our sampling instructions and methods to prepare your samples properly.
Sampling methods
Find the applicable documents and instructions in one place.