Ellis Environmental Management Blog & News

The following articles are here for you to stay up to date on recent projects by Ellis Environmental Inc as well as news and information related to our services.

Newly Enforced Silica Monitoring Requirements for Employers!

EMPLOYER REQUIREMENTS Cal/OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard for General Industry CURRENTLY BEING ENFORCED AS OF DECEMBER 29, 2023 Cases of silicosis, a marker disease...

Moisture Intrusion – And Why Flooding Means Surveying Your Building For Asbestos And Lead

Sunny California... until it isn’t! Years of drought have understandably left most fairly complacent with the condition of their building’s roofs, doors, and windows. Flooding of structures from these...

THE DEADLINE HAS EXPIRED for Child Care lead in water testing

DEADLINE EXPIRED - INITIAL LEAD IN WATER SAMPLING FOR LICENSED CHILD CARE CENTERS UNDER ASSEMBLY BILL2370 The January 1, 2023, deadline for initial lead in drinking water sampling in licensed Child...

California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Lowers Definition Of Lead-contaminated Dust

California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Lowers Definition Of Lead-contaminated Dust As of February 2, 2022, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has lowered its definition of...

Bipolar Ionization – An Indoor Air Quality Investigation

Bipolar Ionization – An Indoor Air Quality Investigation Ellis was recently contracted to perform an investigation on the efficacy of a newly installed bipolar ionization system in a large commercial...

Quick, Thorough Water Response Prevents Mold

Quick, Thorough Water Response Prevents Mold Ellis recently responded to an emergency request by a large commercial client whose office headquarters had been inundated with water following a roof...

Lead in Drinking Water Educational Child Care Centers

Lead in Drinking Water Educational Child Care Centers New CA state regulations require that all licensed Child Care Centers – including K12 school child care centers and college/university child care...

Airborne Dust - Types & Hazards

Airborne Dust - Types & Hazards We do many projects that relate to the measurement and improvement of indoor air quality. As a result, we receive many questions, some of which we hope to answer...

The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Evolution

The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Evolution SCAQMD. The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) continues to evolve. Here are a few new asbestos-related developments...

Ellis offers surface and air SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus) testing

Ellis offers surface and air SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus) testing SERVICES OFFERED. Ellis offers SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus) testing by way of: Indoor air testing using a low flow sampling pump with PTFE...

Evidence-Based Facility Disinfecting Services

Evidence-Based Facility Disinfecting Services Ellis Environmental Provides a "Scientifically Proven" Clean Before you open up your facility after the quarantine, it needs to be clean, not just cleaned....

Ellis Successfully Administers Disinfecting Efforts for Two Local Credit Union Branches Following a Positive Employee Test for COVID-19

Ellis Successfully Administers Disinfecting Efforts for Two Local Credit Union Branches Following a Positive Employee Test for COVID-19 Ellis has just completed a successful administration of its second decontamination/disinfecting...

Coronavirus - Is Disinfection Even Necessary?

Coronavirus - Is Disinfection Even Necessary? COVID-19 Virus. My company (ten employees) provides, among other things, surface testing for known contaminants. As most of you know, there is no published...

COVID-19 Work Plan: Reduction of surface bacteria in office and other work environments

COVID-19 Work Plan: Reduction of surface bacteria in office and other work environments To our valued clients, Our current global climate has created an unprecedented atmosphere - one that is full of...

Ellis is strong thanks to you!

Ellis is strong thanks to you! We were on a roll . . . increasing, record revenue for the past 4 years running, 10 employees, the latest in testing equipment, and 3 or 4 company trucks depending on...

Sampling Concrete for Asbestos

Sampling Concrete for Asbestos For years, concrete floors, walls and footings were not considered to be “suspect asbestos-containing materials.” Concrete was often not even sampled during a standard...

Ellis Staff & Vehicles - 2019

Ellis Staff & Vehicles - 2019 It occurred to me the other day as I walked through the office (and the parking lot, actually) of how much we’ve grown. New vehicles add to our growing fleet, sophisticated...

When Water Intrudes

When Water Intrudes Recent heavy rains in southern California are impacting many buildings. We’re seeing damage to ceiling spaces, wall spaces and floors. If not addressed quickly, mold growth – and...

Ellis Responds to Southern California Woolsey & Hill Fires

Ellis Responds to Southern California Woolsey & Hill Fires In the aftermath of the Southern California Woolsey and Hill Fires, Ellis is providing services at reduced cost to schools, daycare and...

Iron Mining - and Mesothelioma

Iron Mining - and Mesothelioma Regarding the high number of mesothelioma deaths in northeastern Minnesota (3 to 4 times the national average), the Vermillion and Mesabi mining ranges were among the...

Ellis Surpasses $1 Million In Sales

Ellis Surpasses $1 Million In Sales In 2017 and for the third year running, our little company (Ellis Environmental) surpassed $1 million in sales and assets. Not bad for a 9-person effort. During that...

Visual Inspections on VFT and Associated Mastic Abatement

Visual Inspections on VFT and Associated Mastic Abatement add text here... I wanted to share some protocols and "tips" I've learned and followed during my years with Ellis performing inspections on...

A Year In Review

A Year In Review 2015/2016 were Ellis’ most successful back-to-back years since the company was formed 22 years ago. Some of our more notable accomplishments: Ellis assisted a large Glendale landowner...

Lead In Drinking Water

Lead In Drinking Water Ellis is retained by a number of local school districts to test potable (drinking) water for lead content. BACKGROUND - Dissolved lead in drinking water is poisonous. It can...

Friable vs. Non-Friable

Friable vs. Non-Friable In its normal state, asbestos-containing floor tile is "non-friable" - that is, cannot be crushed under normal hand pressure. Because asbestos is an inhalation hazard, this quality...

Certified Asbestos Consultant

Certified Asbestos Consultant California OSHA considers the administration of an asbestos abatement project to be a “Health and Safety” service, requiring the participation of a CAC. Ellis recently...

California, Asbestos, and Disclosure Protocols

California, Asbestos, and Disclosure Protocols A potential client asked me an important question: "After performing an asbestos building survey, does [Ellis] have an obligation to disclose any asbestos...

ASBESTOS REQUIREMENTS - Cal-OSHA vs. SCAQMD

ASBESTOS REQUIREMENTS - Cal-OSHA vs. SCAQMD Both California OSHA and the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) regulate the disturbance, removal and disposal of asbestos-containing materials. However,...

Ultra-Fine Particles (UFPs) Air Quality in Airport Areas

Ultra-Fine Particles (UFPs) Air Quality in Airport Areas Ellis has recently performed a number of preliminary air quality assessments in office buildings in and around Los Angeles and other airports. ...

ASBESTOS IN POST-1980 BUILDINGS

ASBESTOS IN POST-1980 BUILDINGS In any building older than 1980, California OSHA (Title 8 Section 1529) has always required asbestos bulk sampling prior to renovation or demolition. But asbestos continued...

Lead-Based Paint - XRF Sampling

Lead-Based Paint - XRF Sampling We just put a new, state-of-the art XRF lead paint analyzer, the Heuresis Pb200i, into field operation. This is currently the smallest, lightest-weight, highest-performance...

Ellis typically accepts only commercial/ industrial projects but in this case, we made an exception. . . .

Ellis typically accepts only commercial/ industrial projects but in this case, we made an exception. . . . An Ellis team of three has just completed a full-on asbestos survey of a 10,000 s.f. private...

Ellis tests for residual methamphetamine

Ellis tests for residual methamphetamine Last week, Ellis provided swab testing for potential, residual methamphetamine in a private residence. The town home, located in an affluent neighborhood, was...

Asbestos Abatement Roulette

Asbestos Abatement Roulette This may sound like one of those scare-you-into-using-us missives. And, in effect, that’s what it gets down to. But as you know, that isn’t my style, so why? I’m writing...

Indoor Air Quality

Indoor Air Quality We wanted to share information about Indoor air quality because it is such a challenge. It’s a challenge because- On the one hand, it is serious. Poor quality or contaminated air...

Do Dogs Make Us Better at Work?

Do Dogs Make Us Better at Work? Most days, most Ellis employees are providing field oversight and / or attending various project meetings. But on the rare office day, employees are encouraged to occasionally...

Formaldehyde Testing In The News

Formaldehyde Testing In The News Lumber Liquidators and Formaldehyde Exposure A recent report on the news program "60 Minutes" has linked hardwood flooring sold by Lumber Liquidators to formaldehyde...

Portuguese Bend Land Slide Area

Portuguese Bend Land Slide Area Ellis is assisting the City of Rancho Palos Verdes in administering abatement and demolition of various structures and utilities in the Portuguese Bend Land Slide area. During...

Asbestos Clearance Monitoring

Asbestos Clearance Monitoring A CASE STUDY Because of the conflict of interest that can arise when a testing agency works directly for an abatement contractor, California law - Business and Professions...

Ellis Celebrates 20 Years of Continuous Service

Ellis Celebrates 20 Years of Continuous Service Ellis began providing hazardous materials testing services in August 1994. The company was incorporated in 1996 and has been in continuous operation...

Performance Update - Lead, Asbestos, Indoor Air

Performance Update - Lead, Asbestos, Indoor Air It has been Ellis' busiest summer ever. We're currently nearing completion on a number of summer projects: 1. LEAD - SAND-BLASTING. Ellis administered,...

Asbestos Removal, OSHA, South Coast AQMD

Asbestos Removal, OSHA, South Coast AQMD Twice in the past year – and perhaps 4 times in the last 6 years - we've seen building owners merely give contractors a set of drawings and an existing asbestos...

Photo Processing Contaminants

Photo Processing Contaminants For most photographers, digital photography has become the medium of choice and convenience. Still, traditional photography offers a range of special effects and other...

Lead Risk Assessments

Lead Risk Assessments "Lead is a toxic metal that was used for many years in products found in and around our homes. Lead also can be emitted into the air from motor vehicles and industrial sources,...

Asbestos - Clearance Sampling

Asbestos - Clearance Sampling Q1: Following an asbestos removal action, who can perform final clearance sampling? A1: In California, clearance air sampling must be performed under the direct supervision...

SCAQMD, Notice to Comply, Procedure 5

SCAQMD, Notice to Comply, Procedure 5 The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) responds to complaints of possible asbestos disturbance lodged by building occupants, tenants and employees. ...

Certified Asbestos Consultant

Certified Asbestos Consultant Ellis was recently asked to respond to an asbestos-related emergency by a major southern California university. As the first step in a large building renovation project,...

"Transite" Pipe and the AQMD

"Transite" Pipe and the AQMD The proper name for it is "Asbestos-Cement", or simply "A-C" pipe, but it is also commonly called by its manufacturer JM's brand name - "Transite" pipe. A-C pipe is present...