What if I have Zonolite insulation installed in my house?
Stay away from it — if it’s left untouched in the attic, there should be minimal or no risk at all, according to Health Canada. The asbestos fibres must be airborne to be inhaled. Each time you breathe asbestos fibres into your lungs, you increase the chance of developing health problems. The fibres can become trapped in the lungs and can cause lung cancer and mesothelioma, a cancer of the lungs’ lining or the abdominal cavity. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, there are cases of individuals who got asbestosis — a chronic breathing disorder in which the lungs become scarred with fibrous tissue — from four or five significant contacts with the insulation material. Tradespeople face a higher risk.
