Education
How Asbestos Testing Actually Works
From sample to lab-certified answer — here’s exactly what happens, and why you can trust it.
Minnesota law
The 1% rule
Under Minn. Stat. \u00a7 326.71, a material containing more than 1% asbestos is legally an asbestos-containing material (ACM). Below that threshold, it is not regulated as ACM.
Minnesota Department of Health
“No amount of asbestos is considered safe.”
A material under the 1% threshold is not legally regulated as ACM, but the Minnesota Department of Health advises that no exposure is a safe exposure. That is why we test before you disturb.
The six regulated asbestos minerals
Federal and Minnesota rules recognize these six fibrous minerals as asbestos. Each is named exactly as the statute names it.
Chrysotile
Serpentine fiber; the most common type found in building materials.
Crocidolite
Straight, blue amphibole fiber; historically used in limited products.
Amosite
Brown amphibole fiber; common in insulation boards and thermal products.
Anthophyllite
Amphibole fiber; found in some insulation and talc-containing products.
Tremolite
Amphibole fiber; can occur as a contaminant in other minerals.
Actinolite
Amphibole fiber; rare in commercial products, can appear as a contaminant.
Material categories
Friable vs. non-friable, plainly explained
The category a material falls into decides whether it is regulated and how it must be handled. These are the legal definitions.
Friable
Any material containing more than 1% asbestos that, when dry, can be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure. Always regulated.
Category I non-friable
Packings, gaskets, resilient floor covering, asphalt roofing products, and mastics. Regulated if it becomes friable, or if the work will sand, grind, cut, or abrade it.
Category II non-friable
Any non-friable material not included in Category I — for example, transite siding and asbestos-cement pipe and panels. Regulated if the work is likely to render it friable.
The process
How we test: 4 steps
From the first walkthrough to the phone call with your results, here is exactly what happens on a SAFE inspection.
Inspection & homogeneous areas
We walk the property and map every suspect material by area and type. Materials that look the same and were installed at the same time are grouped into one homogeneous area, so each area is sampled as a unit.
Sampling
A minimum of 3 samples per homogeneous area is collected, taken from already-damaged spots when possible. Every sample location is marked with labeled tape and photographed, so you can see exactly where each one came from.
Chain of custody & the lab
Samples are sealed, labeled, and shipped overnight to Eurofins, an accredited laboratory. They are analyzed by polarized light microscopy (PLM) to determine whether asbestos is present and at what percentage.
Your results call
A real person — the owner — calls you personally with the results, positive or negative, and walks you through exactly what they mean and what your next steps are. No portal-only report, no automated email.
One positive sample = the whole area is asbestos-containing. All samples must come back clean to clear an area — that’s the law working in your favor.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Common concerns about sample collection, turnaround times, and lab accreditation — answered plainly.
Why Minnesota trusts SAFE
- MN Licensed Asbestos Contractor #ACL-197
- Lead Firm #LFC-283
- 125 five-star Google reviews
- Licensed inspector on every job
Schedule an Inspection
Questions? Call 612-424-5005. We’ll help you figure out whether testing is the right next step.