Vermiculite

Current Best Practices for Vermiculite Attic Insulation - May 2003
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offices have received a large number of phone calls from citizens concerned about vermiculite insulation in their home that might be contaminated with asbestos. EPA is gathering more information about vermiculite insulation and other products containing vermiculite. If you suspect vermiculite insulation is in your home, the safest thing is to leave the material alone. If you decide to remove or must otherwise disturb the material due to a renovation project, consult with an experienced asbestos contractor.

What is vermiculite insulation?
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 light-weight, fire-resistant, absorbent, and odorless material. These properties allow vermiculite to be used to make numerous products, including attic insulation.

Photo - Vermiculite Insulation

Vermiculte insulation with a quarter coin to indicated grain size