Laboratory Accreditation is a procedure by which an authoritative body gives a formal recognition that a Conformity Assessment Body fulfils specified requirements and is competent to carry out specific tasks. This assure the customer of...
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Not only is the sampling, identification and management of asbestos important to reduce the risk of asbestos, but so is the way samples are submitted to the laboratory. Our junior analyst, Kathryn Mackay writes about how samples should be...
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Asbestos cement is mostly used for roofing and exterior cladding on industrial, public, and domestic premises. Corrugated/profile sheets are commonly found, but flat sheets have also been widely used for exterior and some interior cladding...
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Asbestos analysis differs significantly from other analytical services and methods in the laboratory. It’s much more ‘subjective’ in its assessment, and as such requires a higher level of experience, as there is an aspect of...
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Presently, Ghost Wipe swabs and tape (literally packaging tape) are both commonly used for settled dust detection and asbestos clearances by consultants. The problem with Ghost Wipes are they were never designed for furnace disintegration in the...
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Former senior firefighter Kevin John Davies pleaded guilty in the Tauranga District Court for burning demolition waste material that contains some asbestos from two demolished houses at a residential subdivision site in Rotorua in June 2018. He...
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A member of the public alerted Environment Canterbury (ECan) to a 4 square metre pile – about a tandem trailer’s worth of waste dumped off Harris Rd, on the north bank of the river says Marco Cataloni, Waimakariri Zone Delivery lead The...
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Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral and can typically be found in rock, sediment or soil. It has strong fibres that are heat resistant and have good insulating properties. Asbestos becomes a health risk when its fibres are released into the...
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During this time of pandemic, Kiwis have turned to tackle DIY home renovations that prompted health experts to warn about the dangers of asbestos. For 79-year-old Palmerston North resident, Maureen Saville life isn’t quite as it used to be...
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Asbestos-induced malignant mesothelioma (MM) remains a global public health concern, including in New Zealand. Construction and building trades workforce has the highest mesothelioma incidence. There is also an increasing concern in...
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In this month’s tech talk we are exploring the difference between two types of analytical techniques for counting airborne fibre concentrations, Phase Contrast Microscopy (PCM) and Trans Electron Microscopy (TEM). Even though both approaches...
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A Popular coastal walkway in Timaru has been closed for 16 months and regular users of the track are keen to know when it will reopen. The discovery of exposed asbestos on a section north of Smithfield Beach led to an investigation and the...
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