Environmental Testing Services

Huntington Beach, CA, November 5^th, 2021

November is National COPD Awareness Month, a time for the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) community to come together with one voice to focus on increasing awareness of the disease. Over 1 million people in California, and more than 16 million nationwide, suffer from the condition.

COPD refers to a group of diseases that cause airflow blockage and breathing-related problems. It includes emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and in some cases, asthma. Common symptoms of the disease that people often mistake as normal signs of aging include wheezing, shortness of breath, ongoing cough, chest tightness or a combination of all.

“While tobacco smoke is a major cause of COPD, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 1 in 4 people with the disease were never smokers,” said Michael Chapman, Laboratory Manager of LA Testing’s Huntington Beach facility. “Exposure to air pollutants in the home (such as secondhand smoke and some heating fuels) and at work (such as dusts, gases and fumes), and genetic predisposition also can cause COPD according to the agency. This is why it is so important that home and work environments do not expose people to elevated levels of airborne pollutants. For people with COPD, eliminating or mitigating these types of exposures can also help to manage the disease.”

Some of the more common indoor air quality (IAQ) pollutants, irritants and allergens that may exacerbate COPD conditions include dust mites, pet dander, mold, bacteria, pollen, perfumes, scented products, cleaning chemicals, smoke, dusty conditions, and outdoor pollution that infiltrates a home or business. In California, LA Testing’s laboratories offer air and dust testing, sampling supplies, easy-to-use test kits, and air monitoring instruments to identify these and other environmental concerns.

Last year, LA Testing sponsored an educational video about National COPD Awareness Month that can still be seen at: https://youtu.be/Sbl4FLOFBmc

To learn more about indoor environmental quality (IEQ) testing services, sampling supplies or monitoring instruments, please visit www.LATesting.com, email info@LATesting.com or call (800) 755-1794. To access IEQ test kits, visit www.EMSLTestKits.com. 

About LA Testing
LA Testing is California’s leading laboratory for indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash, and smoke damage, particulates, and other chemicals.  In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including: AIHA-LAP, LLC (AIHA-LAP, LLC EMLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC IHLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC ELLAP), CDC ELITE, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health, and other states.  LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, San Leandro, San Diego, and Ontario.