Chemical Plant Workers - Mesothelioma Risks
Chemical plant workers faced a number of hazards during their career. While exposure to the strong and potentially toxic chemicals their companies produced was an evident threat, many chemical plant workers were also affected by asbestos, a natural mineral that was frequently used in chemical production.
Asbestos was commonly used in chemicals and chemical products for a number of years. Asbestos fibers are nonflammable and insoluble in water. The amosite, crocidolite and anthophyllite varieties are resistant to acids. These properties made asbestos a desirable material for a number of industrial purposes, including use at chemical plants.
Prior to and during the late 1970s, asbestos was used in chemicals and plastics as a filler or reinforcing agent. Asbestos fibers were commonly added to molding compounds and fireproofing sprays. Asbestos compounds were also used in chemicals used for insulation and sealants. Phenolic compounds that were produced and distributed to plastic manufacturers such as Rostone Inc. also commonly contained asbestos. For more information on asbestos-containing items that may have been manufactured in a chemical plant, please see the asbestos products page.
Chemical plants also harbored the mineral in their structures and machinery. Because it was a strong insulator and did not react with the chemicals being produced and handled at the facilities, asbestos was a strongly preferred material for use at chemical plants.
Several chemical plants have been designated as EPA Superfund Sites, or uncontrolled or abandoned sites where hazardous waste is known to be located. One such site, the chemical plant area at Weldon Spring site, was deemed a threat to human health due to asbestos and other contaminants. These toxic substances were found in highest concentrations in the physical buildings, waste pits and ponds and in the soil near waste disposal and storage areas.
Asbestos in the Chemical Industry
Many large companies in the chemical industry used asbestos in their products. Some of these companies include Union Carbide Chemical Corporation, General Electric Company, Westinghouse Corporation, Rostone Inc., Durez Corporation and Rogers Corporation.
Many electrical parts manufacturers obtained chemicals and compounds from Union Carbide. This company, which marketed the insulating compound Bakelite and Calidria Fibre, often utilized chrysotile asbestos in their products.
Union Carbide played a leading role in the National Safety Council in the 1930s and the Industrial Hygiene Foundation in the 1940s. In 1952, Union Carbide sent three representatives, including its Medical Director, Dr. Thomas Nale, to the Seventh Saranac Symposium. At a 1955 Saranac Conference, a report was prepared by an Aetna-affiliated company showing that Union Carbide had knowledge of potential hazards of asbestos and continued to engage in the formation of its own asbestos mining, milling and manufacturing businesses.
The report highlighted extremely high asbestos exposure rates and evidence of the mishandling of asbestos. Although the report made recommendations to Union Carbide to help protect their workers from further asbestos exposure, the company chose not to disclose the findings to its employees.
Workers in the chemical industry may have been frequently exposed to asbestos. Because of the serious health risks associated with inhaling or ingesting the mineral, it is recommended that chemical plant workers discuss any potential asbestos exposure with a health care provider. For assistance with finding a doctor in your area, please contact the Mesothelioma Center’s Doctor Match Program.
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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.
Sponsored by a law firm concentrating in asbestos litigation, The Peterson Firm, LLP with offices at 1350 Connecticut Ave, NW, Fifth Floor, Washington DC 20036.
