Chemical plants are known as industrial processing plants that manufacture and process chemicals on a large scale. These plants use special equipment and technology to produce their products, which can often create hazardous work environments at risk of fire or dangerous chemical reactions.

Asbestos has been used throughout many chemical plants due to the mineral's extreme tolerance to heat and its resistance to reactive chemicals. Products containing asbestos are more resistant to fire and are less likely to react with chemicals used at the plant. Asbestos products have been applied in chemical plants to provide a safer working environment, but the naturally occurring mineral is toxic and thus hazardous in its own right. The heavy use of asbestos in chemical plants largely died out in the 1980s, but those who worked in chemical plants prior to this time were at risk of asbestos exposure. Additionally, some chemical plants constructed before the 1980s are still likely to contain asbestos if the contaminated products have not been removed and replaced.

Asbestos in Chemical Plants

Asbestos was used in products that could be found both inside and outside of chemical plant laboratories. Some of the laboratory equipment containing asbestos included:

Protective clothing
Bench and counter tops
Coating materials

Other equipment containing asbestos, most commonly as insulation, that could be found outside laboratory rooms included:

Boilers
Furnaces
Heat exchangers
Ovens
Pipes
Driers
Extruders
Pumps

To find out more about specific chemical plants and their history of asbestos use, browse through the featured chemical plants listed below. For further information on asbestos exposure and its associated diseases, please fill out this form to receive a comprehensive packet in the mail.

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Naval Ships Index
Search through our extensive list of ships that used asbestos-containing products.
(e.g. USS Alabama BB 60)

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