Asbestos in Attic Insulation
Concerned that exposure to asbestos attic insulation could lead to asbestos-related diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma? Learn more below.
What is asbestos attic insulation?
Attic insulation used in many older homes is very likely made from, or contaminated by asbestos. It has been estimated that about 35 million homes in the United States contain asbestos-contaminated Zonolite vermiculite attic insulation. Cheap and easy to use, Zonolite was simply poured into attics from a large, lightweight bag. Unfortunately, this vermiculite was contaminated by naturally-occurring tremolite asbestos, one of the most deadly kinds of asbestos. W.R. Grace, the company that mined the vermiculite in the now-infamous town of Libby, Montana, did nothing to warn its workers or the townspeople. As early as 1955, an internal company memo discussed "the dangers of exposing our employees to asbestos." Many hundreds have died from asbestos related diseases in Libby, and more become sick every year.
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Zonolite insulation was made until 1990, when the mining operation was shut down. If your house was made before about 1990, it could contain asbestos-tainted attic insulation. Asbestos attic insulation is considered relatively safe if enclosed and undisturbed. The US government recommends that homeowners do not attempt to remove any asbestos attic insulation and instead leave it intact.
Once it's disturbed, airborne asbestos is easily embedded into the mesothelium, the thin lining that covers and protects most of the body’s internal organs and cavities.
Over time, embedded asbestos fibers can lead to numerous asbestos-related diseases, including asbestosis, pleural plaques, lung cancer, and mesothelioma, a rare but deadly form of cancer caused only by exposure to asbestos. Individuals who worked with asbestos attic insulation are not the only ones at risk for developing malignant mesothelioma. The dust from work clothes was often inhaled by children and wives when the men returned home from the worksite. Sadly, there have been many mesothelioma diagnoses from secondhand asbestos exposure.
Exposed to asbestos? Contact a mesothelioma attorney today
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or any other asbestos-related disease from workplace or home exposure to asbestos, contact an experienced mesothelioma attorney immediately. Mesothelioma attorneys have helped thousands of mesothelioma patients win compensation for lost wages and medical costs.