This page provides important information on how to protect yourself and your family if you suspect that you might have vermiculite insulation from Libby, Montana.
Vermiculite is a naturally-occurring mineral composed of shiny flakes, resembling mica. When heated to a high temperature, flakes of vermiculite expand as much as 8-30 times their original size. The expanded vermiculite is a light-weight, fire-resistant, and odorless material and has been used in numerous products, including insulation for attics and walls. Sizes of vermiculite products range from very fine particles to large (coarse) pieces nearly an inch long.
A mine near Libby, Montana, was the source of over 70 percent of all vermiculite sold in the United States from to . There was also a deposit of asbestos at that mine, so the vermiculite from Libby was contaminated with asbestos. Vermiculite from Libby was used in the majority of vermiculite insulation in the United States and was often sold under the brand name Zonolite. If you have vermiculite insulation in your home, you should assume this material may be contaminated with asbestos and be aware of steps you can take to protect yourself and your family from exposure to asbestos.
Look at the photos on this website and then look at the insulation without disturbing it. Vermiculite insulation is a pebble-like, pour-in product and is usually gray-brown or silver-gold in color.
The following photographs show typical vermiculite insulation.
You should assume that vermiculite insulation is from Libby and treat the material as if it contained asbestos by not disturbing it or by using a trained professional if it needs to be removed. Since the Libby mine was estimated to be the source of over 70 percent of all vermiculite sold in the United States from to and vermiculite from Libby was contaminated with asbestos, further testing is not necessary to take the appropriate precautions. While you can hire a trained professional to test your attic for asbestos, this may be expensive and, depending on the methods used, might give you erroneous results. We do not recommend that you open your walls to check for vermiculite.
Asbestos causes cancer and other diseases. There is no known safe level of asbestos exposure. Asbestos fibers must be airborne to cause a health risk through inhalation, so the first step is not to disturb the material, which would release more fibers into the air. If you remove or disturb the insulation, it is probable that you may inhale some asbestos fibers - the degree of health risk depends on how much and how often this occurred. If you do not go into your attic, handle, or disturb the insulation, it is likely that you will not be exposed to asbestos fibers from vermiculite insulation.
Also, you need to consider if any disturbance of the insulation - possibly by a contractor doing work in your attic - may result in the fibers being deposited into other areas of your house where an exposure might be possible.
It is not possible to say whether your exposure may result in disease. Exposure to asbestos increases your risk of developing lung diseases including asbestosis, lung cancer, or mesothelioma, and disease may not occur until decades after exposure. The risk of disease increases as the level, duration, and frequency of exposure increases. That risk is made worse by smoking.
If you are concerned about possible exposure, talk to your doctor and consider consulting a physician who specializes in lung diseases, also known as a pulmonologist. For more information on asbestos-related diseases see the Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry Web site.
YOU SHOULD ASSUME THE VERMICULITE CONTAINS ASBESTOS AND DO NOT DISTURB IT! Any disturbance could potentially release asbestos fibers into the air. If you absolutely have to go in your attic and it contains vermiculite insulation, you should limit the number of trips you make and shorten the length of those trips in order to help limit your potential exposure.
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Anyone who has ever worked with a potting soil mix has probably noticed those little “blocks” or chunks of gold it contains. Light and airy, these particles are known as vermiculite, an important product in gardening (and many other industries). While they may not be worth their weight in gold they are highly revered for their numerous benefits.
Similar in nature to perlite, vermiculite is formed by the weathering or heating of biotite or phlogopite. These rocks are considered phyllosilicates, containing high proportions of magnesium aluminum silicate mineral that resembles mica in appearance. A typical chemical analysis of commercial vermiculite shows it contains 38-46% silicon oxide (SiO2), 16-35% magnesium oxide (MgO), 10-16% aluminum oxide (Al2O3), 8-16% water, plus lesser amounts of several other chemicals.
After mining, the ore is separated from other minerals and screened to classify it into different particle sizes. Like perlite, these different sizes comprise the different grades of vermiculite: large, medium, fine, superfine and micron. The most commonly used sizes are 0–2, 2–4, and 4–8 mm in diameter.
The particles are then superheated in a process called exfoliation to create elongated, accordion-like particles. Expanded vermiculite is typically golden brown in color.
Two features of vermiculite lead to its unique shape and numerous uses.
Both treated and untreated vermiculite are used across a variety of industries, for many different purposes. Expanded vermiculite is versatile and unique: it is lightweight, it is non-combustible, compressible, highly absorbent, pH neutral, inert, and non-reactive to all but very strong acids.
Gardening - helps with water retention, soil aeration, and drainage. Used as the sole growing media in containers, or a component of potting soil; also used as a soil amendment for garden soils. You can shop now on Amazon, Espoma is our favorite brand currently.
Animal feed - works well as carrying medium for certain types of nutrients: vitamin preparations, fat concentrations, and molasses.
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Packing material - commonly used when shipping hazardous liquids. Highly absorbent so it will soak up any leaks that occur; non-flammable nature contains fires (when packaging items such as lithium batteries) to inside the container. Unlike standard packing peanuts, it breaks down naturally in landfills.
Automotive - used to make brake and clutch linings, gaskets, and rubber seals. When ground, into a powder it can be used in auto paints and lacquers.
Construction - used to manufacture plasters, loose-fill insulation, and lightweight concrete used for floors and roofs.
As with other products such as perlite, peat moss, and coconut coir, vermiculite has both its advantages and disadvantages. In the horticulture industry, the advantages far outweigh the downfalls.
Pros:
Cons:
When not used as a soil conditioner, or as an ingredient in a soilless potting mix, there are three other situations vermiculite is useful for plants.
Vermiculite is used as a growing media for seed starting and rooting propagated cuttings because of its sterile nature and ability to retain moisture without encouraging damping-off. All plants can be started - from seeds or cuttings - using vermiculite as the sole growing media. When the time comes to pot up plants into containers some will thrive growing solely in vermiculite, some prefer other types of growing media for maximum plant growth.
Herbs that prefer moist soils that thrive in vermiculite:
Moisture-loving plants that thrive in vermiculite:
One of the critical aspects of establishing a new lawn is keeping seeds moist while they germinate. When seeding new lawns spread ¼” layer across the newly seeded area, then irrigate well. The vermiculite helps to hold water close to the seeds as they sprout.
Tender varieties of bulbs are dug up in the late fall and then stored in a cool, dry place over the winter. Layer bulbs in-between vermiculite before storing. It will soak up excess moisture without desiccating the bulbs.
Again, many gardeners wonder if there is a big difference between vermiculite and perlite and if they can be substituted for one another. Unfortunately, while they have some similar properties they act very differently.
The biggest difference between the two products is that perlite helps increase the drainage, while vermiculite increases water retention by absorbing water in its plate-like structure and holding it in the root zone for plant roots. Use perlite when you are growing plants that benefit from the growing media drying out completely between waterings (succulents, orchids); use vermiculite when you are growing plants that prefer to be kept moist such as tropical plants.
When using them as ingredients in potting mixes or as a soil amendment, perlite and vermiculite act as complements to one another versus alternatives.
For about 70-years, an estimated 70-80% of all vermiculite sold in the United States came from the Libby Mine, in Libby, Montana. The vermiculite deposit was found to have naturally occurring asbestos minerals directly alongside the vermiculite. When mined by the Zonolite Company, Libby Amphibole asbestos (LAA) contaminated the product, creating health and safety concerns, especially with vermiculite being used in attic insulation and as raw materials in many other construction products.
Asbestos exposure is incredibly dangerous, posing many health risks. When inhaled, asbestos fibers enter the lungs and are known to cause lung cancer, mesothelioma, and other lung diseases.
This mine was closed in ; in the Environmental protection Agency (EPA) stepped in to investigate concerns from local citizens and begin remediation. The Libby cleanup project has been one of the largest, longest-running, remediation projects to date.
According to The Vermiculite Association, all vermiculite mined and used today is mined under strict protocols to ensure its safety.
Known for its sterile, lightweight nature and ability to retain moisture, improve aeration, and increase drainage, vermiculite is an invaluable asset to the horticultural industry. It is typically used for germinating seeds and rooting cuttings, as an ingredient in soilless growing media, and as a soil conditioner for garden soil. Known to be inexpensive, effective, and safe for use, it is a great tool to keep in your gardening arsenal.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website Gold Expanded Vermiculite.