If you are one of the millions of Americans who own a home that contains Zonolite insulation, there is less than a month left for you to be eligible to claim Zonolite-related compensation from W.R. Grace & Company.

At the end of July, the Delaware Bankruptcy Court that has been overseeing the W.R. Grace & Company case set a bar date for claims related to Zonolite attic insulation. The cut-off date is currently set for October 31, 2008.

It’s important to note that these are property-related claims and not personal injury claims. These types of claims are related to any home-ownership costs that arise from the presence of Zonolite in your home. This can include any type of abatement or removal, and even a reduction in property value that may occur as a result of the presence of Zonolite.

Zonolite is a type of loose-fill, non-roll vermiculite insulation produced and sold by W.R. Grace & Co. The company originally gathered the vermiculite from a mine located in Libby, Montana. The mine, the vermiculite, and all the insulation sold under the brand name Zonolite is contaminated with tremolite asbestos.

Asbestos is one of the largest contributors to the development of mesothelioma, which is a rare form of cancer. Exposure to the substance occurs when asbestos-containing products become damaged or disturbed and release tiny fibers into the air. The inhalation of these fibers is what causes mesothelioma cancer.

Zonolite was sold from the 1920s up until the 1980s under several brand names, including Attic Fill, Attic Plus, Cashway Attic Insulation, Econofil, House Fill, Wickes Attic Insulation, Zonolite Insulating Fill, Sears Micro Fill, Quiselle Insulating Fill, Mica Pellets Attic Insulation, Unifil, and Ward’s Mineral Fill.

Zonolite insulation may appear as a glittery granular substance. The granules may be silvery, gold, or brown in color, and may have darkened after being present in an attic for several years. Even homes with newer insulation may still contain Zonolite, as the substance may be found underneath newer rolled insulation.

If you are entitled to claim compensation, it’s crucial to know that you have less than a month remaining to make a claim. Even if you don’t currently plan to remodel or sell your home, this is an important consideration. Removing Zonolite can cost between $5 and $12 per square foot, and the cost adds up very quickly when there is an entire house full of the substance.

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 9th, 2008 at 2:58 pm and is filed under Asbestos Litigation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS feed. Responses are currently closed, but you trackback from your own site.