Asbestos testing and regulation use specific terminology that isn’t always explained. This glossary covers the terms you’re most likely to encounter.
- Friable material easily releases fibers; non-friable material is stable unless significantly disturbed.
- PLM is the standard bulk sample testing method; TEM is more sensitive for specific situations.
- Abatement is permanent removal; encapsulation is a sealing-based interim control.
- NESHAP governs federal asbestos removal and disposal requirements.
Material Condition Terms
Friable: material that can be crumbled by hand pressure, releasing fibers easily — the higher-risk category. Non-friable: material that’s bound into a stable form (like vinyl floor tile) and doesn’t easily release fibers unless damaged or disturbed significantly.
Testing Terms
PLM (Polarized Light Microscopy): the standard lab method for identifying asbestos in bulk material samples. TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy): a more sensitive method, sometimes used for air sampling or when PLM results are inconclusive.
Remediation Terms
Abatement: permanent removal of asbestos-containing material. Encapsulation: sealing material in place to prevent fiber release, an interim control similar in concept to lead paint encapsulation. NESHAP: the EPA’s National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, which governs asbestos removal and disposal requirements.
Other Control Method Terms
Enclosure: building a permanent airtight barrier around a material so that it stays in place but is separated from the occupied space. This differs from encapsulation above, which seals the surface of the material itself rather than constructing a separate barrier around it.
Operations and maintenance program: a documented routine for managing material left in place, covering periodic inspection, record keeping and the precautions trades are expected to follow. The term appears most often in commercial settings, but the underlying idea applies to a house where material has been left intact.
Process and Paperwork Terms
Containment: the sealed work area, typically held under negative pressure, that keeps fibers released during work from reaching the rest of the building. Clearance: the assessment carried out after work to confirm the area is suitable to reoccupy, often performed by a party independent of the contractor.
Chain of custody: the record that accompanies a sample from collection through analysis, documenting who handled it and when. Homogeneous area: a grouping of material that appears uniform in type and age, which is how sampling is usually planned, since one result is taken to represent the group rather than a single spot.
FAQ
What’s the difference between friable and non-friable asbestos?
Friable material crumbles easily by hand and releases fibers readily; non-friable material is bound into a stable form and doesn’t easily release fibers unless significantly damaged.
Why does my report use a term my contractor did not?
Laboratory reports describe what was analyzed and tend to use analytical language, while contractors describe what will be done on site. The two vocabularies only partly overlap. If a term on either document is unclear, ask the party who wrote it what it means for your specific material.
This glossary is for general orientation — refer to your specific test report or contractor’s documentation for terms not covered here.
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