Vermiculite insulation

Britannia12345

We live in a 1930's house and the insulation in the loft is very old vermiculite with fibreglass placed (very badly and patchily) on top. The vermiculite is clearly visible.
We've used the loft for years for storing toys, christmas stuff and general tat.
Now a friend of mine has scared the hell out of me by telling me the insulation may contain asbestos. I've been going up and down there for years and my kids have also been up there.
The house was a council house until a few years ago when a housing association took over. I'm wondering in the council will have records of any testing of the material or should I fork out for a testing kit myself.
The housing association just told me we're not meant to be going in the loft and that's as far as I got with them.
How much of a risk is this stuff? How likely is it that the insulation is contaminated here in the UK? Most importantly, have my kids been put at risk by going up there?
I'm so worried now :eek:

FreeBear

Britannia12345 wrote: »

How much of a risk is this stuff? How likely is it that the insulation is contaminated here in the UK? Most importantly, have my kids been put at risk by going up there?

In North America, one manufacturer was producing vermiculite from a mine that also contained asbestos deposits. A fair percentage was thus contaminated and sold across the USA and Canada - Some of it even made its way in to the UK. The mine was shut down in 1990 and strict controls & testing introduced across the industry to filter out asbestos contamination.
It is often claimed that this particular mine (in Libby, Montana) produced some 80% of the global supply of vermiculite - A figure that is not easily verified - Even so, not all of this vermiculite would have contained asbestos, and it would be difficult to establish the levels of contamination. So whilst your loft space does contain vermiculite, if it was installed after 1990, it will not contain asbestos. Prior to that date, it might contain traces of asbestos if it came from one particular mine in the USA. The only way to be certain is to get a sample of the vermiculite tested.

In terms of risk to children, there are far bigger things to worry about in the home. Don't let them drink bleach, stick their fingers in a socket, or spend hours glued to the TV/internet/mobile phone - The mobile phone would probably be the biggest health risk in the home.

Britannia12345

I'll chase the council on Monday and see if they ever did testing on it. I'm guessing the insulation was put up there before 1990 as the glass fibre insulation on top of it is pretty old and worn around the hatch.
The vermiculite leaks through the ceiling into the bathroom light now and then.
I'm wondering if the house would have been tested before it was rewired and replumbed about 5 years ago? Would the housing association have had to have it tested before letting workmen up in the loft?
I have terrible anxiety problems and things like this set me off! I wish my 'friend' hadn't mentioned the dangers of it as she knows how much I worry about things!

FreeBear

Britannia12345 wrote: »

I'm wondering if the house would have been tested before it was rewired and replumbed about 5 years ago? Would the housing association have had to have it tested before letting workmen up in the loft?

Unlikely that the HA would have tested for asbestos. HSE do not consider it a significant health risk, and the HA would (probably) take the same view.

Britannia12345

When we lived in our old council house we had men come round to test it. They took scrapings from the artex and samples from the loft. I think they did this as there were plans to rewire the houses. This was in the early noughties, but this was a different local authority to the one where we're living now.
How much of a risk is it if it does contain asbestos? Is it safe to leave boxes of stuff up there? I'm really scared now about all this.

FreeBear

Britannia12345 wrote: »

How much of a risk is it if it does contain asbestos? Is it safe to leave boxes of stuff up there? I'm really scared now about all this.

If there is asbestos up there, it is only a danger when the fibres become airborne and are inhaled. Most of the asbestos fibres (if indeed there are any) will be encased in the vermiculite and are very unlikely to become airborne. You are at greater risk of being hit by a No.13 bus on the way to work.

Britannia12345

So you think it's ok to leave our stuff up there? Should I find something to cover the patches where the vermiculite is showing through?

societys_child

No, leave it alone.

Britannia12345

As in don't touch it? Should I put some boards or similar over where it's showing? The more I read about this stuff the scarier it gets. We had the loft hatch widened a couple of years ago and it never occurred to me that the artex could be an asbestos risk (despite the fact that they tested the artex in our old house for it). Could we have been exposed while they were cutting the hole in the ceiling?
I don't know why I didn't think about all this before we had the hatch done. I guess the damage is done now but how much of a risk did we take?
I don't know why the company that widened the hatch didn't say anything about asbestos risk.

Alfrescodave

You are overthinking this. Stop looking on the internet as this will only highlight negative information - which is also what many people do regarding medical concerns.

As previous posters said there are no valid reasons for worrying about this.