Pennwalt Sodium Chlorate Plant
Originally owned by the Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company, the Pennwalt Sodium Chlorate plant in Portland, Oregon, was built in 1940. Pennsylvania Salt, which had long produced chlorine and caustic soda, built this West Coast plant in order to manufacture a variety of chlorates and commodity chemicals.
In 1957, the company decided to expand the plant in order to add more chemicals to their menu, including ammonium perchlorate. Penn Salt would later sell large quantities of this chemical to the U.S. space program and the U.S. military for use in missiles and rockets. Other products manufactured at the newly-expanded plant included potassium chlorate, chlorine, sodium hydroxide, DDT, sodium orthosilicate, magnesium chloride hexahydrate, ammonia and hydrogen.
In 1969, Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. changed its name to Pennwalt due to a merger with Wallace and Tiernan, Inc. In 1989, another merger occurred, this time with Atochem and M&T Chemicals, resulting in yet another name change to Atochem North America Inc. and later Elf Atochem, ATOFINA, and, finally, Arkema Incorporated.
Arkema closed the Portland Sodium Chlorate Plant in 2001.
Pennwalt Sodium Chlorate Plant Hazards and Asbestos
With one look at the list of chemicals produced by the Pennwalt Sodium Chlorate Plant, it is easy to see why working at the facility could be hazardous. Chlorine and caustic soda, in addition to the other products manufactured by Pennwalt, can cause serious injuries, as well as sparking fires and explosions.
In addition to the obvious chemical risks, the Pennwalt plant contained asbestos. Aside from being used as an insulation material in ovens, furnaces and other equipment, asbestos was used as a diaphragm in electrolytic cells used at the plant. Discarded asbestos was buried in an on-pit site near the plant, as reported by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The buried asbestos was removed in 1992 under the watchful eye of the DEQ and was eventually taken off-site and disposed. The disposal of this asbestos was seen as "too little, too late" for the workers who handled the material and worked with the asbestos diaphragms.
Dangers of Asbestos in Pennwalt Plants
Individuals who handle asbestos are in danger of inhaling the toxic, microscopic fibers, especially if the material is worn or damaged. When this is the case, the fibers are easily made airborne and can be inhaled by those nearby. Once they enter the body, asbestos fibers can become lodged in the lung tissue and the chest cavity, where they can cause a variety of problems. Some victims of exposure develop asbestosis, while others develop mesothelioma cancer.
Pennwalt Sodium Chlorate Plant and Asbestos Litigation
For decades, those who worked with asbestos were unaware that the material was hazardous to their health, as plant owners and managers rarely told them. Investigations have found that many chemical plant owners and managers were aware that asbestos was making their employees sick, and while memos were distributed suggesting that they halt use of the product, hardly anyone took these suggestions.
This company negligence resulted in an abundance of cases of asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma. When it became clear that asbestos exposure was definitely to blame for their illnesses, workers were finally able to file lawsuits against companies like Pennwalt and its successors. Many have received compensation for their medical expenses, pain and suffering.
Resources for Chemical Plant Workers
It took several decades for the truth about asbestos to come out. As a result, the diseases associated with the toxic mineral caught many individuals off-guard and still do. This is because mesothelioma has an extended latency period and can remain hidden in the body for decades. The condition is not typically diagnosed until symptoms appear, but by then it is often too late. Though scientists continue to look for ways to diagnose mesothelioma earlier, it remains a deadly disease.
For this reason, it is important for anyone who encountered asbestos while working at Pennwalt's Sodium Chlorate Plant in Portland to keep tabs on the health of their lungs. Annual chest x-rays and other recommended imaging tests are essential for anyone who worked with asbestos. If you need more information on mesothelioma testing, contact the Patient Advocates at the Mesothelioma Center by calling (800) 615-2770, or take a moment to complete the form on this page.
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Last Modified Thursday, February 9th, 2012 | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy |
The information provided by The Mesothelioma Center is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
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