Common Asbestos Products in Shipyards and Ships

Valued for its heat and fire-resistant properties, asbestos was widely used in naval ships and shipyards. A startling amount of more than 300 asbestos-containing materials were regularly utilized by the Navy until the mid-1970s. Despite the Navy's abatement of asbestos, much of the contaminant remained on ships and is shockingly still permissible if no other alternative exists.

Insulation made with asbestos and other asbestos-containing materials could be found in the following naval boats and ships:

Battleships
Amphibious ships
Auxiliary ships
Cruisers
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
Aircraft carries and airships
Submarines
Destroyers and destroyer escorts
Escort aircraft carriers
Minesweepers
Frigates
Patrol boats

Aboard these vessels were products laden with asbestos, such as gaskets, brakes, valves, adhesives, cements, and floor coverings. Much to the dismay of Navy personnel, practically no area of a naval ship or shipyard built before the 1970s is free of asbestos. This toxic chemical was used in engine and boiler rooms, mess halls, navigation rooms, and sleeping quarters.

A collection of naval records from ship databases, war diaries, and historical documents offer some light on the variety asbestos-containing materials used until the mid-70s. Some of the numerous products include:

Pipe covering
Insulating material
Hydraulic assemblies
Grinders
Meters
Paneling
Packing material
Tubes
Adhesives
Deck covering materials
Cables
Block insulation
Mortar
Capacitors
Aggregate mixtures
Boilers
Valves
Thermal material
Bedding compounds

Presently, few products containing asbestos are being used in Navy ships and shipyards. The military branch is now mainly concerned with the abatement of asbestos materials, as the compound becomes more and more brittle with age, making removal tedious and very dangerous.

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