Asbestos insulation is estimated to be present in as many as 35 million homes in the United States. In the decades spanning the 1950 through the 1970s, asbestos was used in hundreds of building products, including:
Zonolite Asbestos Insulation
An example of toxic asbestos insulation is the Zonolite insulation made of vermiculite, a mineral ore that contains asbestos. Zonolite was manufactured by the W.R. Grace Company, which was hit in March 2008 with a record $250 million fine to cover the clean-up cost at Libby, Montana, where most of the vermiculite was mined.
Before Grace stopped the production of Zonolite in 1984, it was installed in millions of homes. There is evidence that Grace officials knew of the toxic nature of the vermiculite asbestos, and Grace has been paying millions of dollars of compensation to the men, women and children with mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, and other cancers directly traceable to the Zonolite mining and processing.
What to Do with Zonolite Asbestos Insulation
If you know that your home has Zonolite asbestos insulation in the attic or walls, it's not generally considered a danger to you and your family unless the insulation is deteriorating or loose in the home. If it is in place and you don't come into regular contact with it, it can be left undisturbed.
If you are considering home renovations that would disturb the asbestos, or if the insulation is loose or deteriorating, contact a state-certified asbestos abatement contractor to remove it.
What Zonolite Insulation Looks Like
Zonolite asbestos insulation is comprised nuggets that are about 1/8” to 1/4” inch. When the insulation is new, the nuggets are a bit glittery, and silvery or golden brownish. After years in place, the nuggets get darker, and turn gray or even black.
Other types of insulation may look similar (e.g., rock wool may be gray, but it looks like wool, not nuggets). Fiberglas insulation is like fluffy cotton candy, in white, pink or yellow.
Asbestos Insulation Can Be a Health Hazard
If you're concerned about the hazardous properties of asbestos insulation in any form, you're not alone. Contact us for more information about the toxic nature of asbestos and asbestos products.