Sending an asbestos sample by post is a simple, safe and quick way to have a building material analysed. The Semlab laboratory is in Finland, but you do not need to live nearby – you send the sample with your national postal service, wherever you live in the EU.
Who is it suitable for?
Sending an asbestos sample by post is particularly suitable if you are renovating your home and want to know whether a material contains asbestos before you start removing it. Asbestos is common in buildings that were built or renovated before the asbestos ban in your country – at the latest before 2005, when asbestos was banned throughout the EU – because it was still used in many building materials at the time.
A sample by post works especially well when you want to check a single material. Whether, for example, the adhesive under a vinyl floor covering, the tile adhesive or the wall filler contains asbestos can be established quickly with a single sample.
Which materials can be sent by post?
Only send firmly bound material, for example tiles, tile adhesive, floor adhesive, filler, joint compound or asbestos cement. Dusty materials such as pipe insulation or sprayed insulation must not be sent by post.
How do I pack the sample?
Put the sample in a resealable bag or another airtight plastic bag. Seal the bag carefully so that the sample does not come into contact with other material. As extra protection, put the sealed bag into a second bag and then into a padded envelope or small box. Label the sample clearly: write down where it was taken, what material it is and the date.
Make sure the sample is large enough – a piece of about 2–5 cm is plenty. Very small crumbs are difficult to analyse reliably. If you send several samples in one shipment, pack each sample separately in its own bag and number them clearly.
Several samples in one shipment
You can send several samples in the same package. This is practical if, for example, you are renovating several rooms and want to have different materials analysed at once. Pack each sample separately, label it clearly and enclose a list of the samples. The laboratory analyses each sample separately and reports a result for each one.
Sending several samples at once saves postage and speeds up the whole process. You receive all the results at the same time, which makes planning the renovation easier.
Sending the sample and delivery time
Send the sample as a letter or small parcel with your national postal service. Some postal services do not accept goods in international letters; if yours does not, send the sample as a small parcel. The address of the laboratory is:
Semlab / Innosus Oy
Ukkohauentie 11–13 A
02170 Espoo
FINLAND
You pay the postage yourself. How long the shipment takes depends on the country and the delivery option, but allow a few working days to Finland. As soon as the sample arrives at the laboratory, it is analysed the same day.
You receive the result in English by email on the same day the sample arrives at the laboratory. If you are in a hurry, order online and post the sample the same day with the fastest suitable delivery option. A separate express service is not needed, because all samples are analysed on the day they arrive.
A clear process from start to finish
Sending an asbestos sample by post is simple: take the sample, pack it, post it and receive the result by email. You do not need to make an appointment, and nobody has to come to your home. You order the analysis online and pay by card when you order.
If you have questions about taking, packing or sending the sample, you can reach us at info@semlab.eu. We are happy to help you make sure the sample comes from the right material and is sent correctly.