Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) & Third-Hand Smoke Testing — Sydney
Enviro Corp tests for tobacco smoke exposure in two distinct ways: air sampling for active second-hand smoke (ETS) and vape aerosol, and surface wipe sampling for third-hand smoke (THS) — the nicotine and chemical residue left behind on walls, floors, and furnishings long after smoking has stopped. We work with workplaces, property managers, real estate agents, landlords, hotels, and childcare and aged care operators across Sydney. See our full service areas
We also provide mould testing for property and tenancy disputes.
Call 1300 980 612 or request an obligation-free proposal below.
What Is Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS)?
Environmental tobacco smoke is exposure to someone else's cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoke — also called passive smoking, second-hand smoke, or involuntary smoking. Tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 identified chemicals: roughly 10% solid particles (including tar and nicotine) and 90% gases and vapours, the major one being carbon monoxide.
Non-Tobacco Nicotine (NTN) / vaping: e-cigarettes atomise a solution of water, nicotine, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerine and flavouring. The resulting aerosol contains volatile organic compounds, aldehydes, tobacco-specific nitrosamines, carbonyls and metal particles — generally at lower levels than cigarette smoke, though vaping at high temperatures can increase formaldehyde and other aldehyde output.
What Is Third-Hand Smoke (THS)? — Surface Sampling
Third-hand smoke is the residual chemical contamination that settles onto surfaces — walls, carpets, curtains, furniture, vehicle interiors — and can persist for weeks or months after smoking has stopped, long after any smell or visible haze has cleared. It's a distinct exposure pathway from second-hand smoke: research shows children and infants are particularly at risk because of hand-to-mouth contact with contaminated surfaces and objects.
Because THS leaves no airborne trace once smoking has stopped, air sampling won't detect it — this is where surface wipe sampling comes in.
Our third-hand smoke testing method:
| Step | Stage | What It Involves |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Surface selection | We sample from surfaces most likely to retain residue: painted walls, doors, furniture, glass, and soft furnishings, based on published wipe-sampling protocols used in residential, vehicle, and hospitality settings. |
| 2 | Wipe collection | Surfaces are sampled using a standardised wipe method consistent with a modified NIOSH 9102 sampling procedure. |
| 3 | Laboratory analysis | Samples are analysed for nicotine (the standard marker for THS contamination) using GC/MS methods consistent with NIOSH 2544. |
| 4 | Results interpretation | Nicotine surface loading is reported in µg/m², compared against published reference thresholds used to distinguish smoking from non-smoking environments. |
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Common uses for third-hand smoke testing:
The Legal Position on Tobacco Smoke in NSW
Smoke-free Environment Act 2000 (NSW) prohibits smoking (including vaping) in enclosed public places, with a schedule of example venues and defined smoke-free outdoor areas (e.g. within 10 metres of children's play equipment).
- Work Health and Safety Act — even where smoking by members of the public isn't prohibited outdoors, a PCBU still has a duty to protect workers from ETS and vape aerosol exposure at the workplace.
- Under the WHS Regulation, a PCBU must conduct air monitoring to determine the concentration of airborne contaminants where there's uncertainty about exposure — this is the basis for commissioning ETS air testing in workplaces where smoke drift, shared ventilation, or designated smoking areas are a concern.
Our Testing Methods
Many engagements — particularly property disputes — benefit from both methods together: air sampling establishes current conditions, while surface sampling establishes historical evidence of smoking.
Health Effects of Tobacco Smoke Exposure
Who Needs This Testing?
Frequently asked questions:
Second-hand smoke is the smoke you breathe in while it’s actively present in the air. Third-hand smoke is the residue that settles on surfaces and persists after the smoke has cleared — it requires surface wipe sampling rather than air testing to detect.
Yes — third-hand smoke residue can be detected on surfaces for weeks or months after smoking has stopped, using nicotine surface wipe sampling and laboratory analysis, even when there’s no visible or noticeable smell.
Yes, under the Smoke-free Environment Act 2000, smoking and vaping are banned in enclosed public places, plus a number of defined outdoor areas such as near children’s play equipment.
By wiping representative surfaces (walls, furniture, glass) with a standardised sampling method and sending samples for laboratory analysis of nicotine, the accepted marker for third-hand smoke contamination.
It depends on number of surfaces/rooms tested. Contact us for a quote.