EPA is gathering more information about vermiculite insulation and other products containing vermiculite that may be contaminated with asbestos. If you suspect vermiculite insulation is in your home, the safest thing is to leave the material alone. If you decide to remove or must otherwise disturb the material due to a renovation project, consult with an experienced asbestos contractor. The following information provides a common-sense approach to help you find out what kind of insulation is in your home and decide what to do if you have vermiculite insulation. Background Product names cannot be used to determine if your insulation might contain asbestos.
All vermiculite is likely to contain small or trace amounts of asbestos.
EPA believes that a number of manufacturers produced insulation from vermiculite. One mine in the United States produced over 70 percent of the world s vermiculite before the mine was closed in 1990. Vermiculite products generated from this mine were likely to have been contaminated with asbestos. If disturbed, asbestos fibers in vermiculite insulation may get into the air. These fibers can be inhaled and become trapped in the lungs where they may cause diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.