Asbestos

Asbestos is the generic name for a variety of fibrous minerals found naturally in rock formations around the world. Because asbestos fibres are strong, durable and non-combustible, they were widely used by industry, mainly in construction and friction materials.

On this page:

• Vermiculite Insulation Containing Amphibole Asbestos

Health Risks

Asbestos poses health risks only when fibres are present in the air that people breathe.

How exposure to asbestos can affect you depends on:

• the concentration of asbestos fibres in the air
• how long the exposure lasted
• how often you were exposed
• the size of the asbestos fibres inhaled
• the amount of time since the initial exposure.

When inhaled in significant quantities, asbestos fibres can cause asbestosis (a scarring of the lungs which makes breathing difficult), mesothelioma (a rare cancer of the lining of the chest or abdominal cavity) and lung cancer. The link between exposure to asbestos and other types of cancers is less clear.

Smoking, combined with inhaled asbestos, greatly increases the risk of lung cancer.

If you suspect there is asbestos in your home

If asbestos fibres are enclosed or tightly bound in a product, for example in asbestos siding or asbestos floor tiles, there are no significant health risks. These products are very dense and do not release significant amounts of fibres under normal use. However, fibres may be released if these products are cut or damaged.

If you are planning renovations, and your home contains building materials, such as insulation, exterior siding, floor or ceiling tiles, or other building materials which you think may contain asbestos, then it is recommended to first contact a trained and qualified asbestos professional. They can do testing for asbestos and carry out the renovations in a more controlled safe manner.

Vermiculite Insulation Containing Amphibole Asbestos

Vermiculite ore is a naturally occurring mineral that is mined around the world. From the early 1920s to the mid-1980s, vermiculite ore was processed and used as cheap, easy-to-use housing insulation.

Until 1984, most of the vermiculite ore used to produce home insulation in Canada came from a mine in Libby, Montana, in the United States of America. The insulation was sold in Canada under the brand name, Zonolite®. It was later discovered that the vermiculite ore from this source contained amphibole asbestos. When breathed in, airborne asbestos fibres, such as those in dust, can cause serious lung diseases and cancer.

There is currently no scientific evidence of risk to human health if the insulation material is left undisturbed and enclosed behind a wallboard, a floorboard or isolated in an attic. Never attempt to remove vermiculite insulation yourself. Consult a trained and qualified asbestos professional.

For more information please consult the following resources:

• Advisory: Health Canada is advising Canadians about the potential risks to health posed by vermiculite insulation that may contain amphibole asbestos
• Consumer Product Safety: Construction and Renovations
• It's Your Health - Health Risks of Asbestos
• It's Your Health - Vermiculite Insulation Containing Amphibole Asbestos
•  Asbestos Products Regulations
• Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System - Official National Site
• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation - Asbestos
• United States: Environmental Protection Agency - Asbestos

If you need more information or would like to speak with a Health Canada expert about this issue, please call our toll-free information line at 1-800-443-0395.