It is an insulation product that contains mineral called vermiculite that comes from mines in Libby, Montana and other mines crosswise the United States and other countries. Vermiculite is a volcanic mineral compound that expands when sodden. It helpful in many ways as it is used in agricultural, construction, horticultural and industrial applications, including pesticides, insulation, potting mixes, brake pads, sound deadening materials, fire protection, paints, sealants, insulating concrete and nuclear waste disposal. Vermiculite was sold as a product for attic insulation. It was also used as garden products, fireproofing, cement mixtures and more than a dozen other consumer products. The bulk of the ore was heated until it expands. Then it was sent for marketing, it was stuffed between rafters and inside walls in millions of homes from place to place. Vermiculite is a naturally occurring mineral that has the unusual property of expanding into worm-like accordion shaped pieces when heated. The expanded vermiculite is a lightweight, fire-resistant, absorbent, and odorless material. These properties allow vermiculite to be used to make numerous products.

Precautionary measures

1. Vermiculite insulation contains asbestos, which was tested positive after various tests. So it is to be left undisturbed in the attic.
2. It is suggested that one should not store any boxes in the attic retrieving the material may disturb the attic.
3. Children are to be kept away from the attic with open areas of this insulation and they also nit allowed playing there.
4. In order to remodel or renovate trained professionals are to be hired to handle the asbestos to remove it safely.
5. It is advisable that anybody is not allowed to remove insulations themselves.

Do asbestos cause health troubles?

Asbestos can cause health problems when inhaled into the lungs. If products containing asbestos are disturbed, thin, lightweight asbestos fibers are released into the air. Lung cancer takes many years to develop, but changes in the lung can begin almost as soon as a person is exposed to asbestos. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the pleural and peritoneal cells (lining of the lung and abdominal cavity). The site of this tumor might be the lung (pleural) or the abdomen (peritoneal). Asbestosis is a lung disease that occurs when asbestos fibers are inhaled. It is a chronic disease with slow onset that usually requires several years of exposure. The development and progression of asbestosis varies from individual to individual. It is often slow with little changes over five, ten or more years.