Alaska Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure Risks

In Alaska, there is quite a bit of naturally occurring asbestos minerals in the area. Alaska is geologically active for asbestiform minerals as are all areas in the Pacific regions of North America. Due to their geographic and geologic location, Alaska is the home for many industries that use asbestos or create asbestos materials.

Asbestos, whether in true mineral form or having been used in the manufacturing of products, is very dangerous. Asbestos fibers are extremely thin, which makes them easy to inhale. The fibers are also strong, which means that a human body is unable to expel them once they become lodged in the lining of the heart, lungs, or abdomen. Lodged asbestos fibers can cause a variety of diseases, such as mesothelioma.

At Risk Occupations and Locations in Alaska

There are four asbestos rich areas throughout the Panhandle region and two of these deposits are around Juneau and Ketchikan Alaska, both of which are populated areas in the state. There are other deposits in east-central Alaska as well, located along the Yukon River and in the north-western part of Alaska around the Kobuk Valley National Park. On the south-western coast of Alaska, there are two large deposits of asbestos on the tip of the peninsula. There is also a fairly significant cluster of asbestos 100 miles north-east of Anchorage, Alaska near the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, with the town of Glennallen near by.

The town of Glennallen acquired a building from the Alaska Department of Transportation a few years ago that contained friable asbestos (the type that crumbles, which is the most dangerous kind of asbestos). Glennallen was forced to demolish the building and remove the asbestos because the building was broken into several times and was considered to be a dangerous area for the public to be around. Asbestos clean up throughout Alaska is usually overseen by the Department of Health or Environmental Quality agencies, which identify areas of asbestos that are dangerous. The Department of Fish and Game are also involved in the overall clean up and abatement of asbestos.

There are a number of occupations in Alaska that have put many Alaskans at risk for developing an asbestos-related disease. There are pulp mills, marine repair facilities, and seafood processing plants in Alaska where asbestos exposure has been a problem. Any Alaskan who worked in these areas or occupations were likely exposed to asbestos.

Jobsites with Known Asbestos Exposure

Legal Resources for Alaska Residents

The Alaska statutes, Title 18, Chapter 31, deal specifically with asbestos. These laws cover all the issues surrounding asbestos in Alaska, including the duties of the Department of Education (Section 30) and Department of Labor (Section 20). According to this statute, the officials of public schools are obligated by law to maintain records of building inspections. They must also notify any affected party about asbestos concerns and arrange for the removal of asbestos.

One big lawsuit in the state was a manager at Great Pacific Seafoods Inc. who pled guilty for violating the Clean Air Act safety regulations while asbestos was being removed from a facility in Anchorage before it was sold to the Alaska Department of Transportation. Great Pacific Seafoods was fined $500,000, and the manager was fined $100,000, as well as given a one year prison sentence.

State Index