Environmental Standards | Services

Investigations
Environmental Standards personnel are certified by the American Indoor Air Quality Council (AmIAQC) and perform inspections and investigations for chemical, mold, and bacterial contamination.
Investigations are tailored to the needs of the client and the specific issue. Environmental Standards’ investigations include visual property inspections, sampling, interviews, review of material safety data sheets (MSDSs), and air flow evaluation.

Reference documents used by Environmental Standards include, but are not limited to, the following documents:

American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, "Bioaerosols Assessment and Control," 1999.
TSI Incorporated, “Indoor Air Quality Handbook, A Practical Guide to Indoor Air Quality Investigations,” 2002.
United States Environmental Protection Agency, “Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings,” March 2001.
Robert Brandys and Gail Brandys, “Post-Remediation Verification and Clearance Testing for Mold and Bacteria, Risk-based Levels of Cleanliness Assurance," 2008.
Indoor Environmental Standards Organization, “Standards of Practice for the Assessment of Indoor Environmental Quality Volume 1: Mold Sampling; Assessment of Mold Contamination,” June 2003.

Moisture/Humidity Testing
Environmental Standards utilizes material moisture and humidity testing as part of investigations. Understand the amount of moisture available allows for minimization of the potential of indoor air quality impact and property damage.

Air Sampling
Air samples are used to determine the concentrations of chemical contaminants that are used to determine exposure risks. For fungal investigations, air samples are use to determine in there is fungal growth in an area.

Environmental Standards performs air sampling for contamination using Summa® canisters, cartridges/tubes, spore traps, viable spore sampling, and Tedlar® bags. The type and number of samples will depend on the site and the outcome of the site investigation. Environmental Standards utilize the guidance provided in the Indoor Environment Standards Organization (IESO), NIOSH, OSHA, and US EPA methods for the collection and interpretation of air samples.

Surface Sampling
Surface samples are used to understand if chemical contamination has come into contact with a surface. For fungal investigation, the surface sample is used to determine if a discoloration is a fungal colony. Environmental Standards performs surface sampling for contamination using wipes, tape lifts, and swabs. The type and number of samples depend on the site and the outcome of the site investigation. Environmental Standards utilizes the guidance provided in the Indoor Environment Standards Organization (IESO), NIOSH, OSHA, and US EPA methods for the collection and interpretation of air samples.

Bulk Sampling
Bulk sampling is used to determine if a chemical contaminant has penetrated or is present in a material. For fungal investigation, bulk samples are used for materials for which a surface sample cannot be taken (e.g., insulation). Bulk samples are collected by excising a piece of the material for laboratory processing and analysis.

Consulting Services
Our indoor air quality (IAQ)/mold consulting services are designed to achieve the following goals:

Identify the source of gases, bioaerosols, or particulates being released into the air.
Determine the pathway by which pollutants travel through air.
Measure pollutant levels.
Develop strategies to eliminate sources of pollution or to reduce their emissions.

Environmental Standards is proud to offer trained and certified professionals who understand current guidelines and follow published recommendations to develop a scientifically sound approach to each client’s unique situation. We use state-of-the-art equipment for sampling to identify, qualify, and quantify airborne contaminants. Our technical personnel follow rigid quality assurance guidelines to ensure that the data we collect are reliable and defensible.

Training Seminars/Presentations
Environmental Standards creates presentation on indoor environments that are tailored to the clients needs. Some examples of presentations include:

Aid with project communications for risks and expectations.
Train managers on project planning to minimize indoor environment impacts.
Education of responsible parties.
Communication with the public and regulators.

For more information regarding our IAQ/Mold Assessment Services, contact Indoor Air Quality Professional Stephen T. Zeiner, CEAC, CPC, CRMI, at 610-935-5577.