Accredited is your full-service solution for asbestos inspection in NYC, Long Island and Westchester. Our experts will make sure that the process and results are clear from beginning to end, and we won’t just leave you with a final report – we’ll make sure you understand how the results impact your home or property, and what to do next if asbestos is found.
NYC ACP5 Inspection
Accredited Environmental Solutions inspectors are licensed by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and capable of providing ACP5’s required for all permitted jobs in New York City.
An asbestos survey or inspection is required in New York State and New York City prior to any building/structure demolition, remodeling, renovation or repair. All suspect Potential Asbestos Containing Material (PACM) must be presumed to contain asbestos unless they are tested.
The asbestos survey or inspection will, at a minimum, identify the locations, quantities, friability and conditions of all types of suspect asbestos material. An accredited Accredited NYC-licensed asbestos inspector will sample all the required materials that will be disturbed during the renovation, remodeling or demolition process.
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When Do You Need an NYC DEP ACP5?
NYC law requires that an ACP5 asbestos inspection be performed prior to the start of any renovation or demolition project requiring a permit from the New York City Department of Buildings (NYCDOB). The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Asbestos Assessment Report (ACP5) ensures that no asbestos containing materials (ACM) will be disturbed during the renovation or demolition process.
Issuing the ACP5
Upon receiving laboratory results, if no asbestos is present in any of the materials sampled, Accredited Environmental Solutions will complete the electronic filing with the DOB and issue an ACP5 within 24-48 hours. The ACP5 Asbestos Assessment Report Form will be signed and stamped by a licensed New York City Asbestos Investigator and emailed directly to the client, architect or expeditor. The ACP5 form is filed electronically with the DEP and is required by the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) before a construction permit is issued.
If asbestos is present in any of the materials sampled, Accredited can assist you in determining the most cost effective next steps for your project.
Even if you were told your home or building does not contain asbestos, NYC Local Law 76/85 mandates an asbestos survey to verify that no asbestos is present in the materials that will be demolished.
The Inspection Process
The asbestos investigation process starts with a thorough examination of the architects drawings or plans. All potential asbestos containing materials (PACM) which will be disturbed during the demolition phase will need to be sampled. The list of PACM and number of samples of each material to be sampled are prescribed by NYS/NYC regulations.
The inspector will sample all required materials and then have them analyzed by our ELAP certified asbestos laboratory for asbestos content.
Upon receiving laboratory results, if no asbestos is present in any of the materials sampled, Accredited Environmental Solutions will issue a report to be filed with your local building department in order to receive a permit for renovations or building demolition. The asbestos report will be signed by a licensed New York City Asbestos Investigator and emailed directly to the client, architect or expeditor. The ACP5 form is filed electronically with the DEP and is required by the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) before the construction permit will be issued.
As asbestos-containing products are still available in the marketplace today, building owners and professionals involved in building construction, whether new or renovation, should ensure that building materials used on their projects have been determined to be non-asbestos-containing and that documentation (test results, manufacturer’s certifications etc.) ascertaining their non-asbestos status be maintained in the building’s records.
Asbestos Inspection Services
Accredited Environmental Solutions (AES), licensed inspectors in both New York State and New York City, will establish the presence or absence of asbestos through a visual inspection, bulk sampling and lab analysis. If asbestos is detected, the report will indicate its location and a hazard assessment of each asbestos containing material (ACM), including whether or not the material is friable. Depending upon the hazard level, Accredited will recommend response actions.
To perform an asbestos inspection in New York State but outside of New York City you must use a NYS-licensed asbestos inspector. To perform an asbestos survey or an ACP5 inspection in NYC you must use an inspector licensed by both NYS and NYC.
Who Would Benefit From an Asbestos Inspection?
- Architects, builders, contractors seeking a NYC permit requiring an ACP5
- Contractors seeking an asbestos free certification to demo a building
- Homeowners requiring a clean-air certification for a utility company
- Home sellers or real estate agents trying to eliminate all roadblocks to the sale
- Home buyers wanting to verify potential asbestos products in their home inspection report
- Contractors or architects prior to renovations or disturbing paint
About Asbestos
Accredited can perform many types of asbestos tests, depending on your specific needs. We can collect bulk samples of building materials to determine the presence of asbestos, air samples for clearance after completed abatement and/or for exposure assessments and dust samples to assess potential contamination.
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a mineral fiber that occurs naturally in rock and soil in the environment as bundles of fibers that can be separated into thin, durable threads. These fibers are resistant to heat, fire and chemicals and do not conduct electricity. For these reasons, asbestos has been used widely in building materials for insulation and as a fire retardant.
Asbestos has also been used in a wide range of manufactured goods, mostly in building materials (roofing shingles, ceiling and floor tiles, paper products and asbestos cement products), friction products (automobile clutch, brake and transmission parts), heat-resistant fabrics, packaging, gaskets and coatings.
Asbestos minerals are divided into two major groups: serpentine asbestos and amphibole asbestos. Serpentine asbestos includes the mineral chrysotile, which has long, curly fibers that can be woven. Chrysotile asbestos is the form that has been used most widely in commercial applications. Amphibole asbestos includes the minerals actinolite, tremolite, anthophyllite, crocidolite and amosite. Amphibole asbestos has straight, needle-like fibers that are more brittle than those of serpentine asbestos and are more limited in their ability to be fabricated.
Can you tell if a product contains asbestos just by looking at it? No, many products look the same, whether they do or do not contain asbestos. The only way to tell for sure is to have a sample analyzed by an accredited laboratory. Accredited Environmental Solutions’ licensed asbestos inspectors carefully collect samples from a material in a controlled fashion to minimize fiber release.
Two Types of Asbestos Pose Different Risks
Asbestos-containing material (ACM), defined as any material with more than one percent asbestos, comes in two forms: friable and non-friable. Friable ACM, such as insulation, is brittle, easily crumbles and readily becomes airborne when crushed. Non-friable ACM, such as floor tile and most roofing materials, is thicker and tougher and so not as easily released into the air.
Friable ACM is potentially dangerous when disturbed, whereas the sturdier non-friable ACM poses less risk. In either case, cutting, drilling and other types of demolition usually generate a lot of dust, creating a potential hazard of asbestos inhalation. NYC Local Law 76/85 was enacted as a precautionary measure to ensure that any project involving such demolition — even relatively minor interior remodeling jobs — faces minimal risk of airborne asbestos.
Where Asbestos May Be Found
- Attic and wall insulation produced containing vermiculite
- Vinyl floor tiles and the backing on vinyl sheet flooring and adhesives
- Roofing and siding shingles
- Textured paint and patching compounds used on walls and ceilings
- Walls and floors around wood-burning stoves protected with asbestos paper, millboard or cement sheets
- Hot water and steam pipes coated with asbestos material or covered with an asbestos blanket or tape
- Oil and coal furnaces and door gaskets with asbestos insulation
- Heat-resistant fabrics
- Automobile clutches and brakes
How Can People Be Exposed to Asbestos?
When asbestos is left undisturbed, it poses little danger. However, when asbestos is disturbed during building, home maintenance or repair (by grinding, sanding, cutting, scraping, etc.), it releases millions of microscopic fibers into the air. These fibers, much smaller than the width of a human hair, can become easily inhaled by people around them. Once inhaled, asbestos fibers can lodge themselves inside the respiratory tract and can cause serious health issues later on.
What Are The Health Hazards of Exposure to Asbestos?
People may be exposed to asbestos in their workplace, their communities, or their homes. If products containing asbestos are disturbed, tiny asbestos fibers are released into the air. When asbestos fibers are breathed in, they may get trapped in the lungs and remain there for a long time. Over time, these fibers can accumulate and cause scarring and inflammation, which can affect breathing and lead to serious health problems.
Disease symptoms may take many years to develop following exposure.
Asbestos has been classified as a known human carcinogen (a substance that causes cancer) by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the EPA, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Studies have shown that exposure to asbestos may increase the risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma (a relatively rare cancer of the thin membranes that line the chest and abdomen). Although rare, mesothelioma is the most common form of cancer associated with asbestos exposure.
Exposure to asbestos increases your risk of developing lung disease. That risk is made worse by smoking. In general, the greater the exposure to asbestos, the greater the chance of developing harmful health effects.