Laboratory

WORLD LEADERS IN TESTING

At EnviroScience Solutions we have our own in-house laboratory. Accredited by the National Australian Testing Authority (NATA) for asbestos, it is recognised for its world-leading testing and inspection capabilities.

Strategically located in the centre of our operations in Dubbo, our fully equipped laboratory is easily assessable to ensure reliable, timely and accurate results for our clients – often within 24 hours and for a straight fee.

Managed by Head Laboratory Scientist, Ken Archer, a medical scientist with more than 40 years’ experience, our technicians provide certified identification and testing of specific hazardous materials including silica and asbestos in the water, air and soil.

Our laboratory plays a key role in  dust and water quality monitoring, as well as air and swab analysis for microbial, mould/fungi and bacteria for the concentrations of potential human pathogens research and the taxa of the species

As a leader in innovation, we work hard to continually develop new and improved testing methods. In 2021, we developed an Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) luminometer in response to the mouse plague event to measure bioluminescence and detect the presence of faecal contamination. It proved to be cost-effective, quick and easy with minimal need for equipment and resources.

ASBESTOS TESTING 

EnviroScience Solutions is an industry-recognised specialist in the identification and management of asbestos, including naturally occurring asbestos (NOA).

With asbestos found in more than 3,000 products and in an estimated 30 per cent of older homes in Australia, our highly experienced technicians are able to identify asbestos in its many products and forms.

In our in-house NATA-accredited laboratory, we have tested more than 40,000 samples of asbestos in materials, soil and air as well as carried out volume and soil analysis. Testing results have been used to prepare detailed and comprehensive preliminary and site contamination reports for asbestos.

Our asbestos testing services include: 

• Asbestos fibre identification in building materials
• NOA fibre identification in rock, sediment or soil
• Asbestos fibre counting 
• Synthetic mineral fibre counting 
• Airborne asbestos measurement and monitoring via para-occupational monitoring
• Asbestos in soil
• Asbestos audits for building registers and compliance project management for commercial and residential properties including schools.

We also provide NOA compliance project management for roadworks, dam upgrades, water pipeline installations, NBN, and agricultural and forestry ground disturbance.

At EnviroScience we are proud to partner with the Asbestos and Dust Diseases Research Institute (ADDRI) to raise awareness of asbestos and asbestos related diseases in developing countries. We work with ADDRI to test and identify asbestos from samples taken in villages in Indonesia and Columbia, and then audit the presence of the hazard material. We are passionate about working together to support the World Health Organisation’s efforts to ban the imports of asbestos globally.

We have also worked with ADDRI to raise asbestos awareness domestically, through the development of this series of videos:

• Asbestos Industrial and Domestic Discovery
• Setting up a Lab for Asbestos Analysis
• Asbestos Discovery Lab

MICROBIOLOGICAL TESTING

EnviroScience Solutions specialise in the identification and assessment of mould and fungal contamination in dwellings, including organic surfaces such as gyprock, curtains and soft furnishings.

WATER TESTING

EnviroScience Solutions conduct extensive water testing on waterways, tanks, bores and potable water. This sees us perform regular testing to assess pH levels, salinity and turbidity in waterways to ensure EPA standards are maintained. For potable water for example, we collect samples and send them for specialised testing to ensure adherence to Australian drinking water standards regarding heavy metals, phosphates, nitrates, oxygen and E. coli and faecal coli forms.

DUST MONITORING

At EnviroScience Solutions we provide rigorous in-house dust monitoring and testing including personal respirable, inhalable and crystalline silica dust assessments for work sites such as mines, quarries and roadworks. This testing is undertaken to ensure compliance with safety regulations for workers’ health and exposure levels.

We also conduct a visual assessment of sites to identify key areas with, or with the potential, for excessive dust exposure through the use of specific machinery or work practices. Our dust monitoring services are vital in identifying potentially exposure risks of for employees and members of the public.

OTHER HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

As a hazardous material consultancy, we provide extensive chemical testing on anything and everything in our environment which could be hazardous to the natural world and/or human health.

We routinely monitor the air and soil for the presence of hazardous materials, collect samples for testing, and then interpret all the results so they can be considering when the scope of works for any project are being developed.