W.R. Grace & Co. — Asbestos Products Reference

Company History

W.R. Grace & Co. is a specialty chemicals and materials company with deep roots in American industrial commerce. Founded in the nineteenth century, the company expanded substantially through the twentieth century, developing divisions focused on construction materials, industrial chemicals, and building products. By the mid-twentieth century, W.R. Grace had become a major supplier to the American construction industry, distributing products under the Zonolite brand — a name that would become one of the most widely recognized in asbestos litigation history.

A critical chapter in the company’s history centers on its acquisition of the Zonolite Company and, with it, a vermiculite mine near Libby, Montana. Vermiculite ore extracted from the Libby mine was later found to be naturally contaminated with tremolite asbestos, a particularly hazardous fiber type. According to asbestos litigation records, W.R. Grace processed and sold Libby vermiculite in dozens of commercial products distributed across the United States from the late 1930s through approximately the early 1980s. The Libby mine and the surrounding community became the subject of extensive federal investigation; the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declared the Libby area a Superfund site, and the contamination there has been the subject of ongoing public health scrutiny for decades.

W.R. Grace ceased incorporating asbestos into its product lines in approximately the early 1980s, consistent with tightening federal regulations under the Clean Air Act and guidelines administered by the EPA and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Asbestos-Containing Products

Court filings document a broad range of W.R. Grace products alleged to have contained asbestos, the majority marketed under the Zonolite brand. These products spanned several construction categories — spray fireproofing, acoustic plaster, insulating cement, and joint compound applications — and were sold to contractors, building owners, and industrial facilities across the country.

Spray Fireproofing and Insulation

  • Zonolite Mono-Kote (MK-3) (1959–1973): According to asbestos litigation records, this spray-applied fireproofing product was one of W.R. Grace’s most widely used construction materials. It was sprayed onto structural steel beams and decking in commercial buildings, schools, and public structures.
  • Zonolite Monokote Fireproofing Steel Spray (1958–1973): A dry compound mixed with water on-site and spray-applied as a fire-resistive coating on structural steel. Court filings document its use on major construction projects throughout the United States.
  • Zonolite MK-1 Spray Insulation (1958–1969) and Zonolite MK-2 Spray Insulation (1960–1972): Earlier formulations in the Mono-Kote product line, plaintiffs alleged these spray materials released asbestos fibers during both application and subsequent disturbance.
  • Zonolite Spra-Insulation (1960–1972): A spray-applied insulating product used in industrial and commercial settings.
  • Versakote (1966–1973): According to asbestos litigation records, this product was used as a spray-applied surfacing material in construction applications.
  • Gun Coat Spray Surfacer (through 1973): A spray surfacer alleged in litigation to have contained asbestos fibers.
  • Spra-Wyt and Z-Tex: Additional spray-applied products included in litigation filings as asbestos-containing materials distributed by W.R. Grace.
  • Prep Coat (through 1973): A preparatory coating product cited in court filings as part of the Zonolite product family.

Acoustic Plaster and Texture Products

  • Zonolite Acoustical Plaster (1945–1972): A dry plaster compound used for interior acoustic finishing. According to asbestos litigation records, this product was applied in schools, hospitals, office buildings, and residential construction throughout its production span.
  • Zono-Coustic (1959–1973): An acoustic surfacing product plaintiffs alleged contained asbestos derived from Libby vermiculite.
  • Perlcoustic: An acoustic plaster product cited in litigation as part of the W.R. Grace product line.
  • Zonolite Spra-Text (1955–1972) and Zonolite Spraytex (1955–1972): Spray texture products used in interior surfacing applications, alleged to have contained asbestos.
  • Ari-Zonolite Texture (1961–1964): A texture compound included in litigation records as an asbestos-containing product.
  • Perltex (through 1973): A plaster texture product listed in court filings among W.R. Grace’s asbestos-era materials.
  • Hi Sorb Plaster (1973–unknown): An interior plaster product cited in litigation records.
  • Zonolite Super 40: According to asbestos litigation records, this spray product was used in drywall applications for interior surfacing and is alleged to have contained asbestos.

Insulating Cement and High-Temperature Products

  • Zonolite High Temperature Cement (1938–1970): One of the earliest Zonolite-branded products, court filings document its use in high-heat industrial settings including furnaces, boilers, and steam systems.
  • High Temp Insulating Cement (1945–1971): A related high-temperature cement product alleged in litigation to have contained tremolite-contaminated vermiculite.
  • Zonolite Insulating Cement (1938–1973): A long-running formulation used across industrial pipe and equipment insulation applications.
  • Zonolite Cement (1938–1970) and Mono-Kote Cement (1958–1973): Additional cement products plaintiffs alleged were manufactured with asbestos-contaminated vermiculite.

Joint Compound and Surface Coating

  • Econo-White 65 (1956–1970) and Econo-White 70 (1956–1970): Finishing and surface coating products listed in asbestos litigation records as part of W.R. Grace’s construction product portfolio.
  • Zonolite: Econowhite (1956–1970): A surface compound alleged to have contained asbestos fibers.

Attic and Masonry Insulation

  • Zonolite Attic Insulation: Perhaps the most publicly recognized W.R. Grace product associated with asbestos contamination. According to asbestos litigation records and EPA documentation, Zonolite Attic Insulation — a loose-fill vermiculite product poured directly into residential attic spaces — was sold to American homeowners for decades. Because the product was derived from Libby vermiculite ore, it is considered by the EPA to be presumed asbestos-containing unless testing proves otherwise.
  • Zonolite Masonry Fill: A vermiculite-based product poured into masonry block cavities for insulation, alleged to contain the same tremolite-contaminated vermiculite as other Zonolite products.
  • Zonolite Industrial Insulation: An industrial-grade insulation product cited in litigation as part of the broader Zonolite vermiculite product family.
  • Vermiculite (general): W.R. Grace marketed raw and processed vermiculite products for construction and industrial use, drawing primarily from the Libby mine supply chain.

Occupational Exposure

Workers across numerous trades encountered W.R. Grace Zonolite products on American jobsites from the late 1930s through the early 1980s. Court filings document alleged exposures among the following occupations:

  • Ironworkers and structural steel workers who worked near the spray application of Mono-Kote and related fireproofing products on commercial and institutional construction projects
  • Lathers, plasterers, and drywall finishers who applied or sanded Zonolite acoustic plasters and texture compounds
  • Insulators and pipefitters who handled Zonolite insulating cements in industrial plants, refineries, shipyards, and power generating stations
  • Electricians, carpenters, and general construction workers who worked in enclosed spaces where Zonolite products were being mixed, sprayed, or sanded — trades that plaintiffs allege sustained secondary exposure without directly handling the products
  • Homeowners, contractors, and renovation workers who disturbed existing Zonolite Attic Insulation during remodeling, adding attic flooring, or installing wiring and fixtures

The EPA has issued guidance stating that homeowners with Zonolite Attic Insulation in place should treat it as presumed to contain asbestos and avoid disturbing it. According to asbestos litigation records, disturbance of dried spray-applied Zonolite fireproofing products during building renovation, demolition, or maintenance activities was also a significant source of secondary exposure.

Asbestos disease latency — the gap between first exposure and clinical diagnosis — commonly ranges from 20 to 50 years. Mesothelioma, asbestosis, and asbestos-related lung cancer have all been alleged in litigation by workers who handled or worked near Zonolite products.

W.R. Grace & Co. does not operate an asbestos bankruptcy trust fund. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2001, citing asbestos-related liabilities, and emerged from bankruptcy in 2014. The reorganization did not result in the establishment of a Section 524(g) asbestos trust of the type created by many other asbestos defendants. Individuals seeking compensation for asbestos-related illness allegedly caused by W.R. Grace products must pursue claims through conventional civil litigation rather than a trust claim process.

According to asbestos litigation records, W.R. Grace has been named as a defendant in a substantial volume of personal injury and wrongful death claims. Plaintiffs in those cases have alleged that the company knew or should have known of the hazards associated with asbestos-contaminated vermiculite and failed to adequately warn workers and consumers.

Because W.R. Grace does not maintain an asbestos bankruptcy trust fund, individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, or other asbestos-related diseases who believe their illness stems from exposure to Zonolite or other W.R. Grace products should consult an attorney experienced in asbestos litigation to evaluate their civil litigation options.

Attorneys reviewing potential W.R. Grace claims will typically assess:

  • Product identification — whether the worker or homeowner can document or credibly recall exposure to a specific Zonolite or W.R. Grace product
  • Timeline of exposure — whether exposure occurred during the documented production periods for asbestos-containing formulations
  • Diagnosis — whether the claimant carries a confirmed diagnosis of an asbestos-related disease
  • Corroborating records — employment records, union records, contractor invoices, or building records that place the claimant at a jobsite where Zonolite products were used

Homeowners with Zonolite Attic Insulation should not disturb the material and should consult an accredited asbestos inspector before undertaking any renovation work that could affect the attic space. EPA guidance on Zonolite Attic Insulation is available through the agency’s official public resources.