PSA: Vermiculite, Zonolite, Insulation, Asbestos
Hi all. I know it's been a long time since I've posted anything of substance here. I'm kicking around some ideas about personal stuff I'd like to post, but right now I find this news item sufficiently alarming (and angering) that I think it's worthy of a signal boost.
Government Refuses to Act on Cancer-Causing Insulation
"There are millions, likely tens of millions of homes in the United States probably contaminated with this [lethal] material. The inventories show it was pretty much distributed from coast to coast, most heavily across the tier of Northern states -- New England, the upper Midwest and the Northwest -- and in all likelihood, it's still there," toxicologist Weis said.
And it doesn't stop there: this stuff was sent all over the world. The stories of what this horrible material has done to people are heartbreaking. The article series also notes that it gets more dangerous as it ages (it generates dust that can sift through a structure even without the insulation being disturbed, and even the slightest disturbance will kick up tons of dust) and that this time of year, a lot of people risk extra exposure while going up in the attic for the Christmas decorations, as does anybody who has to routinely enter a lot of attics for whatever reason.
Yes, this runs pretty much contrary to what most of us have always heard: that asbestos used in buildings isn't particularly dangerous if it's left alone. That may be true of some products incorporating some forms of the mineral, and when it's new, but it is not true of this stuff.
It seems our government has been aware of this problem for a long time and has not put much effort into warning the public. The EPA page on the subject doesn't offer much practical advice: Vermiculite They may even be trying to suppress the story: EPA Still Evades Zonolite Warnings
Whatever one's opinion of the EPA, this seems to me like something of which people should be aware if they live in an older house or are considering buying or renting a home, or work in an industry where they may be repeatedly exposed. The articles linked show pictures of what the insulation looks like as well as the packaging in which it was sold. It's not easy to remove safely, and minimizing exposure in a contaminated building can also be difficult, but at least if people know then they can investigate whatever options are available.
Government Refuses to Act on Cancer-Causing Insulation
"There are millions, likely tens of millions of homes in the United States probably contaminated with this [lethal] material. The inventories show it was pretty much distributed from coast to coast, most heavily across the tier of Northern states -- New England, the upper Midwest and the Northwest -- and in all likelihood, it's still there," toxicologist Weis said.
And it doesn't stop there: this stuff was sent all over the world. The stories of what this horrible material has done to people are heartbreaking. The article series also notes that it gets more dangerous as it ages (it generates dust that can sift through a structure even without the insulation being disturbed, and even the slightest disturbance will kick up tons of dust) and that this time of year, a lot of people risk extra exposure while going up in the attic for the Christmas decorations, as does anybody who has to routinely enter a lot of attics for whatever reason.
Yes, this runs pretty much contrary to what most of us have always heard: that asbestos used in buildings isn't particularly dangerous if it's left alone. That may be true of some products incorporating some forms of the mineral, and when it's new, but it is not true of this stuff.
It seems our government has been aware of this problem for a long time and has not put much effort into warning the public. The EPA page on the subject doesn't offer much practical advice: Vermiculite They may even be trying to suppress the story: EPA Still Evades Zonolite Warnings
Whatever one's opinion of the EPA, this seems to me like something of which people should be aware if they live in an older house or are considering buying or renting a home, or work in an industry where they may be repeatedly exposed. The articles linked show pictures of what the insulation looks like as well as the packaging in which it was sold. It's not easy to remove safely, and minimizing exposure in a contaminated building can also be difficult, but at least if people know then they can investigate whatever options are available.