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Extending the TEM methods designed for the evaluation of atmospheres in which any primary mineral fibers present are derived from a commercial asbestos fiber is a challenging task. This is because the methods employed leave it to the expertise of the user to identify and evaluate interferences. Improper analysis of nonconstruction materials for asbestos content often results in the misidentification of non-asbestos amphibole particles as asbestos fibers. These errors have received widespread publicity in the media (such as the asbestos-in-crayons story) and have caused unwarranted reformulation of harmless products. The primary cause of these errors has been a poor understanding of mineralogy and analytical techniques among the many asbestos laboratories that arose following the passage of the 'Asbestos Hazardous Emergency Response Act' (AHERA) regulations. This study outlines a procedure based on published data that can be used to correctly classify a microscopic, elongated particle as either asbestos or non-asbestos.

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