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Additional Frequent Questions on Vermiculite
- How does one contract asbestosis or lung disease and how much exposure to vermiculite insulation is too much?
- How many homes have vermiculite insulation?
- Where does vermiculite come from?
- What products could contain vermiculite?
- Can I have my vermiculite insulation tested to determine if it has asbestos?
- If I do have vermiculite insulation, should it be removed?
- How much can I expect to pay to have vermiculite removed from my attic by a qualified contractor? How do I locate a contractor?
- I'm thinking about purchasing a new home. Will a home inspector tell me if vermiculite insulation is present in the home? Do sellers have to disclose that their home has vermiculite insulation that is contaminated with asbestos?
- I rent a home that contains vermiculite insulation. What obligations does the owner of the property have to tell me if my rental unit contains (or is contaminated by) asbestos containing vermiculite?
- I have vermiculite insulation in my attic and I want to move stored items out of my attic. Is it a good idea to wipe down boxes or other items I have in the attic when I bring them down?
- Vermiculite insulation has fallen out onto the floor from the ceiling. What do I do?
- I have bags of Zonolite vermiculite attic insulation. What should I do with them?
- My job as an (electrician/HVAC installer/cable installer) requires me to frequently enter attics that contain vermiculite attic insulation. What should I do?
- I have vermiculite attic insulation and go into the attic once or twice a year. I now am having trouble breathing. Do I have an asbestos related disease?
How does one contract asbestosis or lung disease and how much exposure to vermiculite insulation is too much?
The primary asbestos exposure route that EPA is concerned about is through inhalation. Asbestos fibers must be airborne to cause a health risk through inhalation. Asbestos exposure can cause cancer and other diseases, and there is no known safe level of asbestos exposure. The risk of disease increases as the level, duration, and frequency of exposure increases. That risk is made worse by smoking. Disease may not occur until decades after exposure.
If you disturb or remove vermiculite insulation, it is probable that you may inhale some asbestos fibers – the degree of health risk depends on how much and how often this occurred. If you do not go into your attic, handle, or disturb the insulation, it is likely that you will not be exposed to asbestos fibers from vermiculite insulation. Also, you need to consider if any disturbance of the insulation – possibly by a contractor doing work in your attic – may result in the fibers being deposited into other areas of your house where an exposure might be possible.
If you are concerned about possible exposure, talk to your doctor and consider consulting a physician who specializes in lung diseases, also known as a pulmonologist. For more information on asbestos-related diseases, see the Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry Web site.
How many homes have vermiculite insulation?
It is estimated that the Libby mine was the source of over 70 percent of all vermiculite sold in the U.S. from 1919 to 1990. While no precise statistics exist, vermiculite insulation produced from Libby vermiculite was widely distributed throughout the U.S. and it is possible that it is present in millions of homes.
Where does vermiculite come from?
In the past, most of the vermiculite ore mined in the world came from a mine in Libby, Montana, that operated from 1919 to 1990. This particular mine was unusual because vermiculite deposits, and the vermiculite removed from the mine, were contaminated with asbestos. Because the Libby mine closed in 1990, newer products are not expected to contain significant amounts of asbestos. However, it is possible that some older products could still be on store shelves. Today, active vermiculite operations within the United States can be found in South Carolina and Virginia.
What products could contain vermiculite?
In the past, vermiculite has been used in construction, agricultural, horticultural and industrial products. Vermiculite has been used as a soil amendment (conditioner to improve soil quality), in fertilizer, and as an ingredient in many potting soil mixes. It has been used in fireproofing materials, gypsum wallboard, and as a lightweight aggregate in construction materials.
Can I have my vermiculite insulation tested to determine if it has asbestos?
Yes, but testing can be expensive and yield mixed results. EPA recommends that if you have vermiculite insulation, you assume it contains asbestos and do not disturb it. Asbestos fibers in vermiculite are too small to be seen by the naked eye and can only be seen by a trained technician using a microscope.
There are numerous firms that perform asbestos testing. Many laboratories across the country participate voluntarily in a national certification program, the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP). The National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) maintains a listing of accredited asbestos laboratories under the NVLAP. You may call NIST at (301) 975-4016, or see the NIST Web pages below:
- NVLAP Accredited Laboratories for the Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM) Test Method
- NVLAP Accredited Laboratories for the Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) Test Method
When testing vermiculite insulation, it is important that you request that the laboratory first agitate the sample in a manner that would mimic disturbance in the home and then take measurements of the airborne concentration. Simply conducting bulk sample testing will likely not provide accurate information on whether the vermiculite insulation could be a source of airborne asbestos. EPA is primarily concerned about inhalation of the material if it is disturbed.
If I do have vermiculite insulation, should it be removed?
EPA recommends that the insulation be left in place undisturbed. If the vermiculite insulation is undisturbed in attics and walls, it will not likely present a risk to people in the home (for example, if it is sealed behind wallboards and floorboards or is isolated in the attic) and the best action would be to leave it in place. It is important, however, to ensure that vermiculite insulation is not migrating into the living areas through fixtures or cracks or being blown into these areas by an HVAC system located in the attic. If you are planning to remodel and the vermiculite insulation would need to be disturbed and removed you should NOT do the work yourself. Improperly performed removal actions can lead to building damage and the spread of contamination. Instead you should hire a certified asbestos removal professional who can eliminate the risk by removing the material.
How much can I expect to pay to have vermiculite removed from my attic by a qualified contractor? How do I locate a contractor?
Proper removal by a certified professional may be costly. As with any home improvement project involving a contractor, you may want to obtain several bids from qualified asbestos abatement contractors. Some local governments provide additional guidance to homeowners on how to hire contractors to do home improvement work. If you solicit several bids and they are substantially different, you may want to seek additional information from the contractors as to the reasons for the differences so that you are better able to choose which contractor will best meet your needs. It is important that you ask the contractor questions about the use of a negative air pressure system that will prevent asbestos from entering your living space during the removal project.
I'm thinking about purchasing a new home. Will a home inspector tell me if vermiculite insulation is present in the home? Do sellers have to disclose that their home has vermiculite insulation that is contaminated with asbestos?
There are no universally required standards for home inspectors that apply across the country, and home inspectors may not be aware that vermiculite insulation can present a health risk. If you are in doubt as to whether the home inspector will check for the presence of vermiculite insulation, discuss the issue with the inspector prior to hiring the inspector and determine if the inspector plans to inspect the structure for vermiculite as part of his or her inspection.
There is no federal disclosure requirement. Local regulations vary widely - check with local authorities to determine if there is a local requirement for such disclosure.
I rent a home that contains vermiculite insulation. What obligations does the owner of the property have to tell me if my rental unit contains (or is contaminated by) asbestos containing vermiculite?
There is no federal requirement that addresses this issue. Local regulations vary widely - check with local authorities to determine if there is a local requirement to inform a renter of the presence of asbestos in a rental unit.
I have vermiculite insulation in my attic and I want to move stored items out of my attic. Is it a good idea to wipe down boxes or other items I have in the attic when I bring them down?
Preventing or minimizing the spread of dust will help limit potential exposure to asbestos. Wiping down boxes or other items from the attic will minimize the spread of dust. You should use several wet cloths, and you should not reuse the cloths. Also, consider wearing protective clothing like coveralls and gloves and using personal protective equipment such as a respirator to limit your contact with the material. Contact your state asbestos regulatory agency to determine whether your state has any special requirements relating to the handling of asbestos containing material.
Vermiculite insulation has fallen out onto the floor from the ceiling. What do I do?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends that professionals encountering this problem wet down the asbestos material and then use a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) vacuum (or if one is not available, a wet mop, rag or cloth) to clean up the area where the asbestos material is located. The mop head, rags, or cloths should then be placed in a sealed plastic bag. You should never use your household vacuum or dry sweep the area because this will disturb the material and potentially make asbestos fibers airborne. Contact your state asbestos regulatory agency to determine whether your state has any special requirements relating to the handling and disposal of asbestos containing material.
I have bags of Zonolite vermiculite attic insulation. What should I do with them?
You should put bags of Zonolite in large garbage bags, seal the bags, label them as asbestos-containing, and contact your waste disposal provider to ask for disposal directions. Contact your state asbestos regulatory agency to determine whether your state requires any special handling and disposal of asbestos-containing material.
My job as an (electrician/HVAC installer/cable installer) requires me to frequently enter attics that contain vermiculite attic insulation. What should I do?
Workers should consult Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) asbestos standards for general industry and construction (29 CFR 1910.1001 and 1926.1101) when work will involve vermiculite that is known or presumed to be contaminated with asbestos. Relevant information is posted on the OSHA Web site.
If the vermiculite is known or presumed to be contaminated with asbestos, NIOSH recommends the following general guidelines for limiting asbestos exposure:
- Avoid handling or disturbing loose vermiculite.
- Isolate work areas with temporary barriers or enclosures to avoid spreading fibers.
- Use wet methods, if feasible, to reduce exposure.
- Never use compressed air for cleaning.
- Avoid dry sweeping, shoveling, or other dry clean-up methods.
- Use disposable protective clothing or clothing that is left in the workplace. Do not launder work clothing with family clothing.
- Use proper respiratory protection.
- Dispose of waste and debris contaminated with asbestos in leak-tight containers in accordance with OSHA and EPA standards.
I have vermiculite attic insulation and go into the attic once or twice a year. I now am having trouble breathing. Do I have an asbestos-related disease?
Exposure to asbestos increases your risk of developing lung disease. That risk is made worse by smoking. In general, the greater the exposure to asbestos, the greater the chance of experiencing harmful health effects. Disease symptoms may take several years, even decades, to develop following exposure. You should consult with your family physician who may refer you to a lung specialist – a pulmonologist - to determine if you have any respiratory related disease.