|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

Alcoa Aluminum

Alcoa Aluminum is currently the third-largest producer of aluminum in the world, with operations in 44 countries and company headquarters in New York City and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

History of Alcoa Aluminum

The process of smelting aluminum was discovered by Charles Martin Hall in 1886. Two years later in 1888, Hall and business partner Alfred E. Hunt started the Pittsburgh Reduction Company, an experimental smelting plant in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1891 the company opened a second site in New Kensington, Pennsylvania, and then a third site at Niagara Falls in 1895.

By around 1903, the Pittsburgh Reduction Company was the only legal aluminum supplier in the United States. In 1907, the company renamed itself as The Aluminum Company of America. The acronym "Alcoa" was in use by 1910, but wasn't officially adopted as the company's corporate name until 1999.

In 1938, the company was charged with illegal monopolization, but after several years the case was dismissed. After a government appeal, the matter never really reached a satisfactory conclusion: after World War II was over, other companies began to end the market, and the problem essentially solved itself.

From the 1950s onwards, Alcoa Aluminum began to show more interest in international markets, with subsidiary companies in Canada and an eight percent stake in China's aluminum industry (which the company sold in 2007). The company also has facilities in Russia, and developed a specialty chemicals division (which was sold in 2004).

The company relocated its corporate headquarters to New York City in 2006, and its operational headquarters still located in Pittsburgh.

Asbestos Use at Alcoa Aluminum

Based on data from the year 2000, Alcoa Aluminum was named by the University of Massachusetts' Political Economy Research Institute as one of the ten most toxic companies in the United States. Almost ten million pounds of toxic chemicals were produced by Alcoa during that year. Pollution of air and waterways-including carbon gas emissions-are largely responsible for this dubious honor, but Alcoa has a history when it comes to the use of asbestos, too.

The process of extracting aluminum metal from bauxite ore requires a temperature of more than 1,700 degrees Fahrenheit. Components called reduction cells were used in the process, and asbestos insulation (also called lagging) was wrapped around the reduction cells to provide workers with shielding from the extreme heat.

This asbestos lagging was typically mixed with cement, and as long as the cement was intact there was little danger to workers. However, as the cement aged it became friable, meaning it began to crumble, and release airborne asbestos fibers. At this point, the asbestos can be inhaled, and becomes a health hazard.

Recently, Alcoa Aluminum has engaged the services of F. Scott Industries, a company that specializes in industrial asbestos abatement, to try and remove asbestos from Alcoa facilities.

What Former and Current Workers should Know about Asbestos

Exposure to asbestos is dangerous because inhaling asbestos dust can cause serious diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma. These are known as asbestos-related disease,s because asbestos exposure is the only known cause of both.

Asbestosis is a debilitating chronic lung disease that typically develops as a result of long-term or heavy exposure to asbestos. This disease occurs as a result of chronic lung inflammation that eventually leads to the development of scar tissue. The end result is reduced lung function, and pain and difficulty when breathing. Ceasing exposure can prevent the disease progressing but the damage can't be undone.

In the case of mesothelioma, a type of cancer, the disease can develop after relatively small amounts of asbestos exposure. This disease most often develops in the lining of the lungs, called the pleural lining or mesothelium, but in around 30% of cases develops in the lining of the heart or abdominal cavity. All forms of mesothelioma are difficult to diagnose and very resistant to treatment, and hence the disease has a high mortality rate.

It's also important to note that mesothelioma in particular has a long latency period: if you're a former or current Alcoa Aluminum worker and you haven't yet been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, there is unfortunately no guarantee you'll never develop one.

If you suspect asbestos exposure might have occurred during your employment at the company, regular health check-ups are important to detect early symptoms. If the worst does happen and you are diagnosed with such a disease, seeking legal advice is an important consideration, as you may be able to win compensation to cover the costs of medical treatment and lost income.

If you or a loved one
have been diagnosed with Mesothelioma or another form of

asbestos related ailment, please
please enter your information below for a free packet.

Name:

Address:

City, State, Zip:

Phone Number:

Email:

Diagnosis:

Select... Mesothelioma Lung Cancer Asbestosis Unknown

Comments:

Show Your Support

Free Wristbands
Get an Asbestos Awareness Wristband. Read More

VA Claim Help

Support Book

Cancer Support Book
Get a Free Copy of Lean on Me - Cancer Through a Carer's Eyes. Read More

In Your Area

Asbestos Exposure
Learn about asbestos exposure and legal options in your area. Read More

We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: Verify Here.