Before any abatement work begins a certified asbestos consultant or inspector, conducts a thorough inspection of the jobsite to review any suspect asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) . During the visit samples will be taken from suspect containing materials such as insulation, flooring and ceiling tiles. The samples are then sent to a certified laboratory for analysis.

Polarized light microscopy (PLM) is the most commonly used method for detecting and analyzing asbestos in bulk samples of building materials. It involves examining samples under a microscope using polarized light to identify asbestos fibers based on their unique optical properties. PLM can determine the presence of asbestos and even estimate the percentage of asbestos in a sample