Vermiculite and a new bathroom fan in Calgary, what are the risks?

Installing a bathroom fan in an attic that contains vermiculite is a real concern, and the core issue is this: Health Canada advises that you should not disturb vermiculite or attempt to remove it yourself, and that you should hire professionals trained to handle asbestos if you plan to renovate.

The reason is straightforward. The Alberta Asbestos Abatement Manual notes that some vermiculite insulation, including the Zonolite brand produced from a Libby, Montana mine from the 1920s to 1990, may be contaminated with asbestos, and the only way to know is to have it tested. Looking at vermiculite does not tell you whether it contains asbestos. Cutting a hole for a fan housing, running ductwork or even walking through the attic to reach the work area can disturb it. If the attic has not been tested, that step comes first.

What the rules mean for this job

A bulk sample lab test runs roughly $65 to $145 per sample in the Calgary area, with packages of several samples costing less per sample. If asbestos is confirmed, vermiculite attic removal runs $5,000 to $25,000 depending on attic size, depth, access and whether re-insulating is included. Those are wide ranges because every attic is different.

On the contractor's side, the Alberta OHS Code requires that any employer removing asbestos-containing material notify a Director at least 72 hours before beginning work that may release fibres, filed online through Alberta's asbestos notification portal. Every worker who enters an asbestos restricted area must carry an original, valid Alberta asbestos worker card, issued after a government-approved course of at least 14 instructional hours and a written exam with a pass mark of 80 per cent. There is no contractor licence for asbestos abatement in Alberta; the credentials that exist in law are the worker card and the employer's notification.

The City of Calgary also requires that its Asbestos Abatement Information Form be submitted before a building permit is released for renovation work in buildings built before 1990. A building permit is not a permit to perform abatement; jurisdiction for the work sits with Alberta OHS.

If asbestos is confirmed and removed, disposal goes to Shepard landfill only, by appointment made before 10 a.m. the day prior, Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Material must be wetted before bagging, double-bagged in 6-mil polyethylene and sealed. The City's current rate is $220 per tonne, with a $275 per load hard-to-handle surcharge for loads with rips or openings.

A few things worth asking any contractor before work begins:

• Have they filed the 72-hour OHS notification, and can they show you the confirmation?
• Will clearance air testing be done by a consultant independent of the abatement crew, and which lab will count the samples?
• Does their quote include disposal at Shepard, and will they provide the landfill receipt?

If a prepaid contract of $200 or more is involved, it must be in writing with itemized prices, a completion date and a statement of your cancellation rights; you can check whether the business holds a prepaid contracting licence through Service Alberta's licensed-business search.

After the job is finished, keep the lab report, the OHS notification confirmation, the clearance letter and the Shepard landfill receipt together in one place.