BRIEF HISTORY OF ZONOLITE AND THE ZONOLITE ATTIC INSULATION TRUST

Zonolite Insulation is the trademarked name of a product mined in Libby, MT, and sold as attic insulation between the 1940's and mid-1980's. Consisting of the naturally occurring mineral vermiculite, Zonolite was used for decades to insulate millions of American homes. This attic insulation was typically gray-brown or silver-gold in color, consisting of a pebble-like texture. Part of its popularity within the construction industry stemmed from the fact it was lightweight and fire-resistant. Unfortunately, “Libby vermiculite” or Zonolite, is known to have contained a small amount of hazardous asbestos. Although not all vermiculite is the Zonolite brand or contains asbestos, the EPA advises that you should assume that vermiculite contains asbestos. Zonolite attic insulation, or “ZAI,” may prove harmful to residents because it remains in many attics and homes across the United States and because it is considered “friable", i.e, easily disturbed and distributed into the air.
Under a court-approved class action settlement, W.R. Grace funded this independent Trust to reimburse eligible property owners a portion of their cost to remove the insulation.

In order to be eligible for reimbursement a claimant must be able to show: