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has anyone used or know of zololite

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  • has anyone used or know of zololite

    This is a product that says is a masonery insulator, has anyone have any experience with this product? Manufactured in Ontario by Grace industries?

  • #2
    Re: has anyone used or know of zololite

    Could you possibly mean zonolite? If so, that was a vermiculite insulating product produced by Grace that was full of asbestos. I believe most of it came from a vermiculite mine in Montana. A lot of lawsuits, fines, and legal problems for Grace resulted from decades of production and sales.
    Vermiculite mining and processing is strictly regulated these days, no more asbestos (so they say).

    RT

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    • #3
      Re: has anyone used or know of zololite

      Thanks for your information. This is mined in Canada and there is no mention of asbestos in this product. But it does say that it cannot be used for agricultural purposes.

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      • #4
        Re: has anyone used or know of zololite

        I would not go so far as to say that it was "full of asbestos". It was contaminated but not dangerous except in unusual circumstances. At any rate, the term "Zonolite" refers to a generic vermiculite product that is suitable for insulation. I prefer perlite, which is a different form of the same mineral.

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        • #5
          Re: has anyone used or know of zololite

          I would say that when the EPA reports that a community (Libby) is the worst case of community wide exposure to a toxic substance in US history, spends $120 million of Superfund money on cleanup, declares a public health emergency, and assists in healthcare and relocation assistance........it WAS and IS full of asbestos. Tremolite, Winchite, and Richterlite - asbestos and 2 other fibrous carcinogens.

          If anyone is still using the zonolite name to describe generic vermiculite being produced today, they must be idiots. Anyone who was around in the 1990s knows this product was raked over the coals because of the Libby mine. Somehow WR Grace thought purchasing this mine in 1963 would be a vermiculite "gold mine". They bought into new laws that banned the sale of the porducts due to the soil contamination of the 3 minerals mentioned above.

          As many as 35 million homes may have been built with zonolite vermiculite that was harvested from this mine. The mine operated for nearly 70 yrs unregulated, until the new tests were enacted in the 1990s. Again, this was a huge media story until just a few years ago.

          Rest assurred, todays vermiculite is said to be 100% asbestos free, from asbestos free mines.

          RT
          Last edited by RTflorida; 04-06-2011, 12:06 PM.

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          • #6
            Re: has anyone used or know of zololite

            Originally posted by RTflorida View Post
            ......snip.....Rest assurred, todays vermiculite is said to be 100% asbestos free, from asbestos free mines.

            RT
            So RT, there is no reason to take the zololite to the public landfill.....?

            When I search for the terms, Zololite seems to be a different product than zonolite -the name associated with asbestos in my searches.

            FWIW: At one time in my Air Force career, I supervised the Bioenvironmental Engineers on our Base of 20,000 people. In casual conversation after some ceiling tiles containing a little asbestos were sluffing a few small particles, the subject of asbestos came up (ceiling tiles were in were in my office)........The scientific literature of the day (1988) reported a hazard to humans who were breathing clouds of asbestos dust in their workplace. Not much risk in small exposures, but exposure would be cumulative over a working lifetime.

            I guess dmun's constant admonition to wear breathing devices to protect our lungs is good advice, no matter how small the exposure to asbestos, or the fine powders we mix for mortar, or produce cutting a firebrick.
            Lee B.
            DFW area, Texas, USA

            If you are thinking about building a brick oven, my advice is Here.

            I try to learn from my mistakes, and from yours when you give me a heads up.

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            • #7
              Re: has anyone used or know of zololite

              Thank you for all your words on this topic. I did mispell the thread it is Zonolite.
              It states on the bag that it has been treated with a hydropholic proprietary agent to prevent moisture absorption. no asbestos products/particles in list of ingredients.
              The name does have a history.

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              • #8
                Re: has anyone used or know of zololite

                We've been warned off of silicone treated vermiculite, because you need water absorption to create vermiculite concrete. At least one builder has used it successfully, however.

                I don't think any modern consumer product is going to contain asbestos. There were millions in liability claims and multiple companies in bankruptcy.
                My geodesic oven project: part 1, part 2

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                • #9
                  Re: has anyone used or know of zololite

                  Hello rrjeffer,

                  The references I found were for zonolite and the caveats were for attic insulation. If you have masonry insulation then it is likely not the suspect offender.

                  Look on the package for notations like "silicone added", "block filler" or contain instructions on how to properly fill masonry blocks.

                  I successfully used silicone treated perlite block filler mixed with Portland cement. It just took a little longer to mix by hand and seemed to perform well as insulation around the dome of a wfo. The slight amount of silicone added to vermiculite or perlite aids in pouring (dry) and filling block cells.

                  You might try to source vermiculite from a landscape supply company. Their products will not contain silicone since it is intended as a soil amendment and it will likely be economical too.

                  Cheers,
                  Bob

                  Here is the link to my oven number 1 construction photos!

                  Here is the link to my oven number 2 construction photos!

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                  • #10
                    Re: has anyone used or know of zololite

                    Thanks for the information Bob. I will take it into account.
                    Renee

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                    • #11
                      Re: has anyone used or know of zololite

                      Originally posted by rrjeffer View Post
                      Thank you for all your words on this topic. I did mispell the thread it is Zonolite.
                      It states on the bag that it has been treated with a hydropholic proprietary agent to prevent moisture absorption. no asbestos products/particles in list of ingredients.
                      The name does have a history.
                      Seems to me that the treatment to ward off water absorbsion is a good thing when you are filling the enclosure around your dome.
                      Lee B.
                      DFW area, Texas, USA

                      If you are thinking about building a brick oven, my advice is Here.

                      I try to learn from my mistakes, and from yours when you give me a heads up.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Zonolite

                        This week, we poured my enclosure full of 40 cubic feet of zonolite and then poured it into the voids of the concrete blocks forming the enclosure. That stuff really penetrates into every cavity!

                        We wore face masks and poured it in a cross breeze, so there was only minuscule and brief exposure.

                        I'd use it again.

                        P.S. There were very few small particles to go airborne compared to the vermiculite I got at the local nursery. A good thing to have fewer airborne particles while installing it in an oven.
                        Last edited by Lburou; 08-06-2011, 03:13 PM.
                        Lee B.
                        DFW area, Texas, USA

                        If you are thinking about building a brick oven, my advice is Here.

                        I try to learn from my mistakes, and from yours when you give me a heads up.

                        Comment

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