Resources: Survivor Stories | Clinical Trials | News | Blog
Call Us for More Information
800.615.2270

Martin-Marietta Aluminum

Martin-Marietta Aluminum was formed when the Martin Company acquired Harvey Aluminum in 1968, though the name of the company was not changed until 1971. Martin-Marietta Aluminum operated an aluminum reduction facility at the John Jay Dam on the Columbia River in The Dalles, Oregon from the time of takeover until the plant closed in 1984 due to an economic downturn. Following the closure, Northwest Aluminum obtained a lease for the site two years later and aluminum is still produced there.

Martin-Marietta Aluminum and Asbestos

For a good portion of the 20th century, manufacturing facilities of all sorts used asbestos materials to insulate equipment and machinery that had the need to withstand high temperatures. Aluminum and steel mills were no exception. Because the processes involved in making these metals often involved temperatures as high as 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit, asbestos was a common site at these particular facilities and may have been found in:

  • Boilers
  • Furnaces
  • Ovens
  • Rolling mills
  • Generators
  • Tanks
  • Cranes

It wasn't unusual for workers to come in contact with the material regularly. Some employees suffered more exposure than others; in particular, those who were responsible for maintaining or replacing worn asbestos were at highest risk for exposure. Working inside a plant that contains asbestos often resulted in the inhalation of dangerous, sharp asbestos fibers, which could eventually become lodged in the lining of the lungs or other organs. Some workers developed severe scarring of the lungs while others were plagued with diseases like asbestosis or mesothelioma.

Years later, the effect of these metals plants on the environment would become evident as well. In 1984, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality dubbed the old Martin-Marietta Aluminum plant in The Dalles an extreme hazard, eventually declaring it a Superfund site and placing it on its priorities list. Much of the waste from toxic materials used in aluminum production ended up in a landfill located on the property. According to the EPA, the debris in this landfill included asbestos insulation, coke, pitch and cathode waste. Hence, the EPA concluded that "thirteen source areas and a portion of the shallow ground-water bearing zone had contaminant concentrations that exceeded federal or state applicable relevant and appropriate requirements or acceptable lifetime non-cancer or cancer risk levels."

Martin-Marietta Aluminum and Asbestos Litigation

In most cases, workers at Martin-Marietta Aluminum didn't know that the asbestos with which they worked every day was making them sick. Though plant owners were usually aware of the toxicity of the material and had been warned by company doctors that something was amiss, this information was rarely shared. It was obvious, however, given the EPA reports, that both those inside the plant and outside the plant were breathing toxins that could harm them.

Hence, the filing of lawsuits by those who had been diagnosed with mesothelioma commenced. While not every suit was viable, many were, and Martin-Marietta Aluminum began being confronted with myriad suits filed by dying former employees or their families. It's a typical scenario in the metal works industry and one that could have been avoided if plant owners were up front as to their knowledge of the hazards of asbestos use.

Resources for Metal Workers

The prospect of facing an eventual diagnosis of mesothelioma is a frightening proposition for those who worked at Martin-Marietta Aluminum during an era when asbestos use was still commonplace. Therefore, aluminum plant employees need to be pro-active about monitoring their health on an ongoing basis. Periodic chest x-rays or other pulmonary-related tests are necessary to be sure tumors have not formed, especially if suspicious symptoms begin to arise. Furthermore, former plant workers should always tell their doctor about their asbestos exposure so that accurate diagnoses can be made as quickly as possible.

If you would like assistance finding a location to be tested for mesothelioma, please fill out the form on this page. To speak directly with a Patient Advocate about our Doctor Match Program, call (800) 615-2270.

View Article Sources

mesothelioma-packet
Name:
Address:
City, State, Zip:
Country:
Phone Number:
Email:
Diagnosis:
Comments:
terms of use
Mesothelioma Books
Veterans Assistance
Find Top Doctors
Asbestos Awareness Wristbands
Mesothelioma News
rss news tag