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Professional asbestos testers or environmental consultants are the best people to call to test for asbestos. An asbestos testing company specializes in collecting and analyzing samples and will be the most qualified to do the job for you. An environmental consultant may not specialize in handling asbestos, but should still have the knowledge and know-how to safely collect a sample and send it off for analysis.

If you think you’ve touched asbestos, do not put on a mask. This is important because you may take the asbestos fibers on your hands on trap them in the mask. Make your way to a sink and wash your hands thoroughly. Remove any clothes and seal them in a bag, then take a shower. Call your doctor and let them know you’ve been exposed to asbestos, and make sure you see them as soon as possible. The reason you keep the clothes is in case anyone wants to confirm the presence of asbestos.

Although the use of asbestos has declined since the 1980s, it remains in several different types of building construction materials for insulation and as a fire retardant. Typically, asbestos can be found in materials such as ceiling and floor tiles, heat-resistant fabrics and coatings, and roof shingles. You may also find asbestos in textured paint and patching compounds.

Since the EPA partially banned asbestos in 1989, it is no longer used to manufacture new siding in the United States; production had largely ceased by the early 1980s. Many other countries, such as Canada, Iceland, and Denmark, also have bans on asbestos. However, asbestos siding is still present in many homes built before the late 1980s. The only definitive way to know if your siding contains asbestos is to have it professionally lab-tested.