How do you know if vermiculite has asbestos?

How can I tell if my vermiculite insulation contains asbestos? The majority of all vermiculite insulation pro- duced before 1990 used contaminated vermicu- lite from Libby. Asbestos fibers in vermiculite are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Only a trained technician using a microscope can see asbestos fibers.

What percent of vermiculite insulation contains asbestos?

Vermiculite is a naturally occurring mineral that is perfectly safe when pure. Unfortunately, an estimated 75 percent of it came from Libby, Montana, where it usually was contaminated with toxic amphibole asbestos.

What should you do if you are exposed to vermiculite?

If the vermiculite in your home contains asbestos, we recommend that you leave it in place as long as it is in a location where people are not routinely exposed to it. If it is sealed behind wallboards and floorboards or is in an attic that is not used for habitation, the best advice is to leave it in place.

What type of asbestos is in vermiculite?

amphibole
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.

Should vermiculite insulation be removed?

The EPA recommends that vermiculite insulation be left undisturbed. Airborne asbestos fibers present a health risk through inhalation, so the first step is to not disturb the material, which could release fibers into the air. If you disturb the insulation, you may inhale some asbestos fibers.

How do you test vermiculite insulation for asbestos?

In order to detect the presence of asbestos, please dig through the insulation layer and scoop loose insulation from the attic floor. You need to collect about a cup of vermiculite and place it in a sandwich size Ziploc bag. Label the bag with a permanent marker like: “Attic insulation above kitchen”.

Should I remove vermiculite from attic?

Can I remove the vermiculite attic insulation myself? The EPA strongly recommends that “you should never attempt to remove the insulation yourself. Hire professionals trained and certified to safety remove the material.”

Does old vermiculite insulation have asbestos in it?

Not all vermiculite products contain asbestos, but some do. An EPA study showed some vermiculite products contain low levels of asbestos. Asbestos is found primarily in the unmixed vermiculite product although some was found in pre-mixed potting soils.

Does an N95 mask filter asbestos?

A: An N95 mask is a disposable filtering facepiece respirator with two straps. When worn properly (with the mask making a tight seal with the user’s face), it can protect against hazardous airborne particles. N95 masks do not protect against gases, vapors and cannot be used for asbestos, and they do not provide oxygen.

What mask should I wear for asbestos?

Respirators must be equipped with HEPA filtered cartridges (color coded purple) or an N-100, P-100 or R-100 NIOSH rating. These cartridges are specific for filtering out asbestos fibers. Paper dust masks available at hardware stores do not filter out asbestos fibers and should not be used.

Does all vermiculite insulation contain asbestos?