Washington, D.C. - Asbestos & Mesothelioma Resources

In April 2008, the Office of the Inspector General of the District of Columbia issued a Management Alert Report concerning the removal of lead-based paint and asbestos in Washington and the surrounding D.C. area. The report found that asbestos removal was being insufficiently monitored and that some of the regulations in place were unclear. Business owners and private contractors were not being sufficiently instructed on safe removal of asbestos and lead-based paints.

Washington, D.C. is the 27th largest city in the nation with a population of 588, 292. It is densely populated with over 9,000 people per square mile. Like other communities of long-standing, Washington, D.C. has many buildings that were originally constructed before the 1980s asbestos regulations. Construction workers renovating these older structures can still be at risk for asbestos exposure if they do not use proper asbestos removal techniques.

Statistical Data

According to data compiled by the Environmental Working Group from statistics compiled by the Centers for Disease Control, the District of Columbia ranks in 49th among U.S. states and territories in the number of asbestos-related deaths.

** The government did not begin tracking mesothelioma separately as a cause of death until 1998. When they did, the mortality rate nationwide for deaths from mesothelioma more than doubled. The lower number in each range represents an estimated mortality rate based on asbestos cancers that were thought to be mesothelioma. The higher range reflects the mesothelioma rate if one assumes that the incidence during earlier years was actually twice that reflected by government statistics.

Historical Asbestos Exposure Sites

Automotive Plants

Washington Navy Yard - The Washington Navy Yard was founded in October, 1799. During the War of 1812, many ships were constructed at the yard. As vessels grew larger, the yard outlived its usefulness as a shipyard and was eventually employed for other military purposes. In 1886, the yard became the manufacturing center for the Navy's entire ordinance. At the start World War II, it was the largest naval ordinance center in the world. It was renamed the U.S. Naval Gun Factory in 1945.

The yard continued in operation until 1961 as the U.S. Naval Gun Factory. In July, 1964, it was named the Washington Navy Yard and the deserted factory buildings were converted into office buildings. Workers at these buildings may also have been subjected to asbestos exposure.

Existing Asbestos Exposure Hazards

Capitol Hill Buildings - Maintenance workers under the buildings on Capitol Hill are subject to asbestos exposure from friable asbestos. The majority of these workers maintain the HVAC lines and the water lines. They are also endangered by high temperatures and deteriorating concrete, which has been known to fall in chunks. Yet, Congress has exempted these workers from the protective regulations usually enforced in most workplaces.

Asbestos in the News

Norfolk and Western Railroad Company v. Ayers, Freeman et al is a significant case that took place in Washington D.C. The filers of this suit alleged that they had suffered emotional distress because they feared they would develop an asbestos-related illness after being exposed to asbestos at work. Norfolk and Western Railroad Company later appealed the case to the Supreme Court, and in March, 2003, the high court ruled that the plaintiffs receive an amount reduced from the original amount specified because their exposure was mild.

Regulations and Regulatory Agencies

Office of Public Affairs
Occupation Safety and Health Administration
U.S. Department of Labor
200 Constitution Avenue, NW.
Washington, DC 20210
(202) 693-1999
1-800-321-6742 (1-800-321-OSHA)

For information on the health effects of asbestos and for information on asbestos testing contact:

Information Resources Branch
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
Robert A. Taft Laboratories
Mailstop C-18
4676 Columbia Parkway
Cincinnati, OH 45226-1998
1-800-356-4674 (1800-35-NIOSH)
eidtechinfo@cdc.gov

Treatment Centers

The University of Minnesota - Masonic Cancer center has been designated by the National Cancer Institute as a comprehensive cancer center.

Lombardi Cancer Research Center
LCRC at Georgetown University Medical Center
3800 Reservoir Road NW
Washington, DC 20007
(202) 687-2110
Cancer line: (202) 444-4000

Washington Cancer Center
110 Irving Street, NW
Washington, DC 20010
Main hospital number: (202) 877-7000