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Hooker Chemical Plant

Once a major U.S.-producer of bleaches and caustic soda, the Hooker Chemical Plant was originally located in Niagara Falls, New York. Hooker Chemical Company's many products were used in a variety of industries including pharmaceuticals and plastics, and the products could be found in a long list of commercial products.

Situated on a 115-acre site not far from Niagara Falls, this former chemical company is best known for its involvement in the Love Canal debacle, considered the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history.

Hooker Chemical Plant and the Love Canal Controversy

Originally known as the Hooker Electrochemical Company, Hooker began dumping chemical waste into upstate New York's Love Canal in 1942, with permission of Niagara Power and Development Corporation. The practice continued until 1953, and over a period of 11 years, the company dumped 21,000 tons of chemicals into the canal, including caustics, alkalines, perfumes, solvents for rubber, synthetic resins and fatty acids and chlorinated hydrocarbons used in the manufacturing of dyes.

The trouble began when Hooker Chemicals sold the land to the local school district for $1, with reservations and plenty of disclaimers. Schools and homes were soon built on the land, and later, chemicals began seeping from the ground into water and soil. It was soon discovered that cancer rates in the area had soared, as did the rate of birth defects among newborns. Eleven known carcinogens were eventually detected in the waste, including asbestos. Children who were growing up in the area would also develop learning problems, rashes, burns, epilepsy, hyperactivity, eye ailments and other health problems.

As a result of Hooker Chemical's negligence in selling their Love Canal property to the school district and other interests, the people of Niagara Falls, New York, suffered greatly. Most homes had to be demolished, large numbers of residents died, children suffered immeasurably, and the area was eventually dubbed one of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's most extensively-contaminated sites on the National Priorities List of Superfund sites.

It is quite obvious that Hooker Chemical's disregard for the environment will go down in history and Love Canal will be forever used as an example of bad environmental stewardship. Those who lived on the outskirts of the plant and on the land where toxic waste was dumped were greatly affected, often with life-changing results.

Hooker Chemical Plant and Asbestos

Inside the walls of the Hooker Chemical Plant in Niagara Falls, employees were also exposed to toxins. Chemicals like toluene, benzene and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were ever-present in the factory, as was asbestos, which was commonly used to insulate some of the equipment used inside chemical plants.

Asbestos was often found in the following areas of the chemical plant:

  • Furnaces
  • Heat exchangers
  • Pipes
  • Pumps
  • Tanks
  • Boilers

Asbestos was an excellent insulator and, as such, a logical choice for the job. It was also very inexpensive and was readily available, so business owners often chose asbestos over other insulations in order to save money. This is unfortunate as it was known as early as the 1930s that asbestos had a definitive link to cancer and a variety of pulmonary problems. Nevertheless, use of asbestos continued and many people suffered because of the disregard Hooker Chemical and other chemical companies had for the health of their workers.

Hooker Chemical Plant and Asbestos Litigation

Though there was some asbestos in the waste that was buried in Love Canal, exposure to asbestos more often occurred inside Hooker Chemical's plant. Since 1980, when the U.S. government made it clear to the general public that no level of exposure to asbestos was safe, Hooker has been faced with numerous lawsuits brought about by employees who were exposed to the dangerous mineral while on the job. These lawsuits note that Hooker executives knew about the dangers of asbestos but continued to use it.

In mid-2010, a jury awarded $2.5 million to the family of a former Hooker Chemical employee in a 6-week trial before the New York State Supreme Court. The family claimed that the employee, who had died of mesothelioma, worked to repair valves which were known by the company to contain dangerous asbestos. Furthermore, the lawyer for the family stated that Hooker Chemical officials “had specifically ordered the valves to contain asbestos,” despite the fact that its hazards were apparent.

Obviously, Hooker Chemicals' actions in this situation were negligent and, as such, the plaintiff – and others who have been similarly harmed – has been deservedly granted compensation to assist with medical bills, loss of income and other hardships resulting from asbestos exposure and asbestos-related diseases.

Resources for Chemical Plant Workers

Most individuals who worked in chemical plants and were exposed to asbestos did not recognize the fact that the material could do them harm. As a result, there was little attempt to avoid inhalation of the toxic fibers, an action which is now known to increase the risk of the development of cancerous tumors in the lining of the lungs and chest cavity.

Any individuals who were exposed to asbestos at the Hooker Chemical Plant could be a candidate for developing mesothelioma, which takes several decades to appear in the form of respiratory symptoms. Because of this, it is essential for former Hooker Chemical employees who may have encountered asbestos on the job to schedule periodic chest x-rays or other imaging tests to determine the possible presence of the disease.

The thought of developing mesothelioma may be frightening, but testing should not be avoided. If you would like help in finding a location at which you can be tested for mesothelioma, complete the form on this page or call one of our helpful Patient Advocates at (800) 615-2270 for immediate assistance.

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