5 Things You Must Know About Vermiculite

Vermiculite is a mineral that was used for insulation.

- Reuben Saltzman

1 WHAT IS IT?

Vermiculite is a mineral that was used for insulation. If your home was built before 1990, you might have vermiculite insulation in your walls or attic. Up to 85 percent of all vermiculite insulation in the U.S. came from a mine in Libby, Montana, sold under the name Zonolite.

2 WHY IS IT BAD?

Nearly all vermiculite contains asbestos, which can cause lung cancer when inhaled. While it’s true that undisturbed, encapsulated asbestos doesn’t pose a health risk, the asbestos in vermiculite insulation isn’t encapsulated and can easily become airborne during cleaning, maintenance or remodeling. And, the type of asbestos found in vermiculite—called amphibole—is even more hazardous than the chrysotile asbestos that was more commonly used in the U.S.