Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure Risks by State

Labeled an "epidemic" by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), asbestos use was rampant across the United States until the 1980s. The EWG estimates that nationally, more than 43,000 people died from mesothelioma and asbestosis between 1979 and 2001. Some heavily affected states like Pennsylvania and Washington have high rates of exposure, and asbestos-related deaths in those states extend into the thousands.

Some states have a high mortality rate because they attract more retirees and because their population is older. Others have elevated asbestos mortality rates because  they have more occupational and environmental sources of exposure to asbestos. The mineral naturally occurs in rock deposits across the nation, and it was heavily mined for industrial and manufacturing purposes.

Asbestos industry workers were not the only employees at risk for being exposed to asbestos. Every state had numerous jobsites where asbestos was prevalent, including chemical plants, paper mills, textile mills and refineries.

Occupational Exposure Hot Spots

Employees in industries such as manufacturing, mining and shipping were at high risk of being around asbestos and asbestos dust, making it more likely that they could inhale it and eventually make themselves sick. Although occupational asbestos exposure occurred at jobsites across the nation, high-risk companies were extremely prevalent in industrial states like as Michigan and New Jersey.

Ohio's heavy emphasis on rubber and plastic production resulted in a number of factories operating in the area, including Owens-Corning fiberglass. Headquartered in Toledo, the company eventually went bankrupt from asbestos claims filed by former workers who were exposed to asbestos while producing Kaylo insulation, Fibreboard and One Cote. Employees making the asbestos-containing products were frequently exposed to the fibers while creating cement, insulation and roof tile.

The largest producer of air pollution in the United States, DuPont Chemical, operates plants across the nation, including their largest, the Spruance Plant in Richmond, Virginia. Spruance is the largest employer of DuPont employees, who were commonly exposed to asbestos during the company's early operations for products such as Kevlar and Rayon. The company has notoriously exposed their workers to numerous environmental hazards, including asbestos, earning them a position in 2009's "Toxic 100 Corporations List."

Shipyards were also sources of frequent asbestos exposure. Massachusetts' Boston Naval Shipyard operated for nearly a century and a half, producing vessels for the Navy as well as private owners. Boston Shipyard employees were exposed to asbestos when they constructed new boats with asbestos insulation or repaired ships with existing asbestos materials.  

Environmental Exposure Hot Spots

Naturally occurring asbestos has been found across the United States. Hilly, mountainous ranges are most likely to be home to asbestos deposits, but any area with large concentrations of host rocks such limestone or serpentine may also be laced with asbestos. Residents in these areas face an elevated risk of asbestos exposure, especially if the naturally occurring asbestos was commercially mined.

Libby, Montana is one of the most heavily asbestos-polluted cities in the nation. The town's W.R. Grace Company produced more than 80 percent of the world's vermiculite, but the material was contaminated with heavy concentrations of asbestos. The EPA added the to the National Priorities List in 2002, launching a cleanup program to help remove the asbestos that now lies in the soil, trees and buildings across the city. By 2000, one pulmonologist in Spokane, Washington, had seen as many as 20 patients with asbestos-related diseases whose only exposure to asbestos was in the environment at Libby.

California is also rich in naturally occurring asbestos. Asbestos deposits appear in at least 44 of the state's 58 counties, including the serpentine rock in Placer County, the hills in El Dorado County and the rock formations in Tahoe National Forest. Napa and Sonoma also have heavy concentrations of asbestos in their soil. A 2005 study concluded that residential proximity to naturally occurring asbestos significantly increased a person's risk for malignant mesothelioma.

Asbestos Lawsuits in America

As of 2002, approximately 730,000 individuals had filed asbestos lawsuits in the United States. Asbestos litigation, which is the longest-running mass tort in American history, has cost insurers and legal teams more than $70 billion, calling into question whether more than 8,400 companies contributed to asbestos-related injuries.

Each state is responsible for setting its own asbestos legislation. As a result, some states such as New York are extremely favorable to plaintiffs, while other states set strict laws to limit the number of asbestos cases filed in their systems.

The state of Texas saw more asbestos lawsuits than any other state between 1998 and 2000 and enacted laws to reduce the volume of cases brought to their courts. Plaintiffs must meet specific medical criteria, and those with the most several disabilities may be granted scheduling preference. Similar laws have been enacted in other states, including Georgia. Florida adopted the Asbestos and Silica Compensation Fairness Act in 2005, increasing the amount of clear evidence a patient must present when filing a claim.

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Top U.S. Mesothelioma Treatment Centers

Several major hospitals in the United States have emerged as leaders in mesothelioma treatment. The leading mesothelioma care centers employ a multidisciplinary staff, including surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, dietitians and nurses with experience treating mesothelioma patients. These facilities are often larger hospitals or cancer care networks, and many mesothelioma patients from across the country travel to these top treatment centers when the options in their own state offer less experienced medical care.

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The International Mesothelioma Program provides more than 300 consultations each year. Sponsored by Harvard Medical School's Brigham and Women's Hospital, this Boston mesothelioma treatment center merges a research program and clinical care. Under the leadership of David J. Sugarbaker, M.D., the program offers a full range of treatment options as well as housing and travel assistance.

The University of California's comprehensive cancer centers offer some of the leading mesothelioma care on the west coast of the United States. Endorsed by the National Cancer Institute, the centers at UCLA and UCSF offer interdisciplinary care from renowned mesothelioma experts such as Dr. Robert Cameron, M.D. and Dr. David Jablons, M.D. The University of California's healthcare system is also heavily involved in clinical trials, including ongoing studies of the newest mesothelioma drugs and surgical methods.

Many southern patients visit the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas to receive treatment under Stephen Swisher, Anne Tsao and the rest of the 30-physician mesothelioma team. Continually striving to develop new targeted mesothelioma treatments, MD Anderson's researchers equip the hospital's thoracic center with groundbreaking methods.