zonolite asbestos vermiculite - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

K2 · 08-03-2005, 12:35 AM

Anyone run into Zonolite yet. I was doing some demo last year and found these empty bags of Zonolite in the attic and started doing some reading on it. Bad Stuff. It was sold from the 1920's to 1990 and I think I read that 30 million homes might have it. Turns out it has a high concentration of asbestos which becomes airborn easily. A little tap on the ceiling joist sends up a cloud. The best I could come up with is that the govt. is having a hard time releasing info on it because people would freak out. It was sold as more of a filler type poured in bag insulation and the advertisment shows it being poured around batts. (The guy in the picture pouring it was not wearing a mask). It is generally pink to brown about 3/8 to 1/2 in. and they say it is accordian shaped. Mine, however, was not accordian shaped. If your sending your fellows into the old attics you might want to check this out if you don't allready know about it. I talked to some demo and disposal people in my area and nobody had heard of it but I believe it could become an issue in the future. I'm not afraid of much of the stuff I run into in the old houses but mold and Zonolite are tops on my list to stay away from. RT

reveivl · 08-03-2005, 01:13 AM

I did some asbestos abatement back when everyone was freaking out about it, it's definitely bad stuff to breathe (although GREAT at what it does), but remember, the only people who have come down with asbestosis or the stomach cancer that's associated with it that I can't remember the name of, worked in the textile factories in clouds of dust for many years. Their families were also directly affected because the worker brought the dust home with him every day. Others who have been damaged were the miners, but mostly it was the factory workers. Wear a hepa filter, avoid creating dust, keep things damp, and shower and wash your clothes. Cigarrettes will likely kill you faster. The stuff exists naturally in the environment, if you visit Fort Knox for example you can pick handfuls of it out of the ground.

JustaFramer · 08-03-2005, 02:13 AM

Stos is nasty stuff and is still in alot to things. Though the content is less than 1% which is legal limit. Outlawed in the late 70's it was still sold until the early 90's because grandfathered stocks weren't depleted till then.
As reveil said wear your safety gear and take precautions to stop dust.

K2 · 08-03-2005, 10:14 AM

I was thinking this might be a little more hazardous because it is so easily airborne compared to say asbestos pipe wrap or siding. Have you ever been in those attics where the ductwork gets stomped on and kicked and has openings you can put your fist in, (or bigger)? I was above ceiling line in a school last year and found a 3 ft. return air pipe completely seperated. I was also thinking that abatement on this zonolite looks more expensive than the other types of abatement I've run into. For example: If there was a house fire and the ceiling fell this stuff would be mixed in with everything. Would the whole house have to go into barrels?
I agree with you on the safty equiptment. 35 years ago we wore no masks or anything for anything and I can say that behavior has caught up with me. (non-smoker). RT

ConcreteGuy · 08-04-2005, 09:46 PM

http://www.emedco.com/emed2/resource...pd=ch&pf=clbck

non carcinogenic.

reveivl · 08-04-2005, 11:40 PM

I was under the impression that Vermiculite had anywhere up to 17% asbestos. What does it say on the bag? Does it specificaly mention asbestos? Rich.

K2 · 08-05-2005, 12:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GCMan

http://www.emedco.com/emed2/resource...pd=ch&pf=clbck

non carcinogenic.

That MSDS prepared date was 1993. I did my research about a year ago and I'll try to freshing it up and get a few more facts. This is one I would prefer to be wrong on. RT

"Too old to die young"

K2 · 08-05-2005, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reveivl

I was under the impression that Vermiculite had anywhere up to 17% asbestos. What does it say on the bag? Does it specificaly mention asbestos? Rich.

The bag definetly did not say anything about asbestos. I'll try to retrace my research and get back here.

K2 · 08-05-2005, 12:24 AM

I found something here I'll paste and then go back and get the site.

EPA Issues Warning to the Public
On May 21, 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a warning to the public that millions of home and business owners may have insulation that could cause lethal exposure to cancer-causing asbestos. The warning comes after two years of the agency's being pressured by Congress, public interest groups and its own employees.
"The government believes that people should be aware that some vermiculite attic insulation can contain microscopic asbestos fibers, and there are practical steps that homeowners can take to minimize exposure. People who have homes with vermiculite attic insulation should become informed, not alarmed," said Stephen L. Johnson, EPA's Assistant Administrator for the Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances.
Among the EPA recommendations are the following:
Property owners should not disturb vermiculite attic insulation; any disturbance has the potential to release asbestos fibers into the air.
Homeowners should limit the number of trips to attic space and shorten the length of those trips. People should not store boxes or other items in attics if retrieving the material will disturb the insulation.
Children should not be allowed to play in an attic with open areas of vermiculite insulation.
Homeowners should never attempt to remove the insulation. Instead they should hire professionals trained and certified to safely remove the material. The same applies to remodeling or renovation projects that involve the insulation.

Vermiculite is a natural mineral that when heated expands into accordion-shaped, feather-weight pieces of material usually tan-gold in color. It is flameproof and absorbent, which makes it useful as insulation and in garden products. Vermiculite is still mined in South Carolina and Virginia. But the insulation that the agencies are most concerned about is called Zonolite. It came from vermiculite ore in a now-closed, 80-year-old mine that was last owned by W.R. Grace & Co

K2 · 08-05-2005, 12:36 AM

This is the site I got the last post from.http://www.lieffcabraser.com/zonolite.htm 

I guess it is the attorneys site for the class action and maybe it is not the best place to get info from but gives you the basic idea.

Again my concern would probably be with poorly fit ductwork in attics and any demo that might need to be done in areas with zonolite.RT. 

"To old to die young"

ConcreteGuy · 08-08-2005, 09:19 PM

Why would any supplier of approved product have to be liable for defects found at a later date?

Because lawyers want to get rich off the dead and dying at the consumers' expense. Economics 101, we all pay for this. There is no such thing as a tax on a corporation or free money from an insurance company. No free lunch, the old axiom goes.

Either Zonolite is bad or not, but shouting fire in a crowded theater is NOT a form of free speech. You got something solid or just rumors?

K2 · 08-08-2005, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GCMan

Why would any supplier of approved product have to be liable for defects found at a later date?

Because lawyers want to get rich off the dead and dying at the consumers' expense. Economics 101, we all pay for this. There is no such thing as a tax on a corporation or free money from an insurance company. No free lunch, the old axiom goes.

Either Zonolite is bad or not, but shouting fire in a crowded theater is NOT a form of free speech. You got something solid or just rumors?

I just said I smelled smoke.

Or that's what I thought I said. I'll be more careful how i phrase things in the future. Sorry if I alarmed anyone. RT.