Now for the "Coun terpoint."
That article is pure, unsupported hysterica ... the terms false, deliberate lies, libel, and even criminally irresponsible come to mind. But, hey, it's printed on nice paper, so it must be true - right?
Wrong.
To begin with, the article is a simple rehash of something that was 'discovered' and fussed over nearly a quarter century ago. Next that intrepid reporter will be telling us that the Titanic has sunk.
Next. vermiculite is pretty much out of favor as a household insulation, and never was on the 'cutting edge' of popularity. With it's modest insulation abilities and settling issues, most folks have already piled other insulation atop it.
Contrary to assertions in the article, there have NOT been thoudands in the mining town getting ill from breathing vermiculite. There hasn't even been one. Vermiculite itself is not, and has never been, the issue.
Vermiculite is a material completely different from asbestos. Even under the most reaching EPA definitions, vermiculite hasn't been classed with asbestos any more than ice water has.
So, where's the issue? Well, the town of Libby has more than one mine. Mountains -for the uneducated- are typically made of several different types of rock. Libby just happens to have an asbestos deposit near a vermiculite one. The two minerals are NOT mixed together- nor do their greatly different natures lend them to mixing together, even after processing. That processing, btw, is completely different.
Vermiculite, you see, is simply mica. Mica comes out of the ground in plates best compared to ceramic tiles. These are broken into tiny pieces, then heated. Under heat, moisture inside the mica causes the pieces to 'pop,' much like popcorn. Once popped, it's called vermiculite.
Libby had some issues with asbestos exposure, but those had no connection with the vermiculite operation.
Still, since the two deposits were next to each other, the possibility was raised that the two might have become mixed together. Well, several exhaustive studies - by the EPA, the industry, and others - looked at both vermiculite that was already packaged and distributed, as well as vermiculite that was installed. The results were clear: NO asbestos.
So why does this nonsense persist? Personally, I believe these claims are founded on a vendetta against the manufacturer, rather than a concern about safety. It doesn't take much of an internet search to find that certain manufacturers (even entire industries) are ALWAYS the target of certain politically motivated malcontents.
