Military sealing Zonolite insulation.
Zonolite was made from the mineral vermiculate, which came from a WR Grace mine in Montana that was tainted with naturally occurring deposits of asbestos. The insulation was used in at least 600 First Nations houses starting in the 1950s, and reports indicate that it's still in about 300,000 Canadian homes.
Disturbing the insulation can scatter dust, which can be inhaled, causing fibres to scar the lining of the lungs. A Health Canada advisory says that the insulation has the potential to cause lung diseases such as asbestosis and various forms of cancer, but does not pose a health risk if the insulation is properly sealed.
On Shilo, 431 homes have been identified as containing the potentially hazardous insulation by the Department of National Defence. There are another 1,850 homes on bases in Kingston, ON, Cold Lake, AB, and St. Hubert, QC on the list for remedial repairs. Major Bob Daunais with the Canadian Forces Housing Agency says the remediation work is being done to ensure the safety of their occupants.
While the federal government is working to seal Zonolite in military housing, it has not announced a similar program for First Nations housing, or any support programs to help Canadians test and properly seal the insulation in their homes.
January 20, 2006 -
Military officials will start sealing up Zonolite insulation in hundreds of homes on the Canadian Forces bases in Shilo and elsewhere before the end of March. The work is part of a $2.8 million budget this year authorized to protect military personnel and their families from exposure to the insulation.