The most infamous vinyl floor tile is the 9” x 9” variety which was a popular size during its peak and is typically associated with being an asbestos-containing material. The more modern 12” x 12” vinyl floor tiles may also contain asbestos if installed prior to the late 1970s.

The vast majority of 9” x 9” floor tiles do contain some asbestos, typically in the 1-5% and sometimes the 5-10% range.

Asbestos may be found in insulation, drywall, ceiling and floor tiles, cement, paint and more.

Most U.S. homes and commercial buildings built before 1980 contain asbestos products.

In rare cases, the 9” x 9” tile did not contain asbestos. In cases where the tile is not asbestos-containing, one item that is overlooked is the underlying glue also known as mastic.

Mastic that is black in color is a “primary suspect” for asbestos-containing materials much like the 9” x 9” vinyl floor tiles. 

Old black mastic often contains 1-5% asbestos. The black mastic was eventually superseded by yellow and clear based glues, which in rare cases may also contain asbestos.

Asbestos Vermiculite. 
Loose-fill insulation, is one of the most common household materials that contains asbestos.

Vermiculite insulation has a pebble-like appearance and typically is a grayish-brown or silvery-gold color. It is made from a natural mineral material that is mined from the earth.

Asbestos was long considered an ideal material for almost all types of insulation, until its cancer-causing effects were revealed to the public.

Even in its soft form, asbestos is extremely resistant to heat, and the air between the fluffy mineral fibers slows down the transfer of heat through the material.

When metal ducts are wrapped with asbestos insulation, the ACM is on the outer surfaces, not exposed to the air stream within the ducts, providing little or no opportunity for contamination of the circulating air. ... However, if the ducts become punctured or torn, asbestos fibers can be released into the air stream.