Florida Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure Risks

Though Florida contains no naturally occurring asbestos, the toxic mineral has made its way into every corner of the state. Records indicate at least 1,188 shipments of asbestos (at minimum, 109,949 tons) were shipped from Libby, Montana to five locations throughout the state: Tampa, St. Petersburg, Jacksonville, Pompano Beach, and Boca Raton. Aside from the mining industry, asbestos entered Florida in a variety of domestic and industrial products. Trailing just behind California, Florida holds the number two spot for asbestos-related deaths in the United States. In the Sunshine State alone, at least 3,025 died from asbestosis or mesothelioma cancer between 1979 and 2001 - a figure that is but a fraction of the total deaths, as mesothelioma mortality statistics doubled when the government began tracking mesothelioma as a cause of death in 1999.

Tampa

Between 1948 and 1993, more than 97,644 tons of asbestos-containing vermiculite was shipped from Libby, Montana to a processing plant in Tampa. Like many other processing plants of its kind, the Verlite Company/Schmelzer Sales site in Tampa (located at 3401 East Third Avenue) usually "popped" or exfoliated the ore to produce a variety of products, such as insulation. Though the site stopped receiving Libby vermiculite in 1993, the plant still processes vermiculite to this day. In fact, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's (ATSDR) Web site reports the plant now processes vermiculite mined from South Africa, South Carolina and Virginia. There is only vermiculite mine in Virginia - and its ore is known to contain high levels of asbestos, as tests performed by the Mine Safety and Health Administration in 2000 revealed samples of vermiculite containing between 95 and 99 percent asbestos.

Space Coast

Home to the famous Space Coast, Florida features a unique aeronautical history that most states do not. Dealing with heat and fire is a major concern for National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), as chemically-fueled rockets and exiting and entering the earth's atmosphere pose quite a heat and fire threat. Valued for its extreme tolerance to heat, asbestos-containing materials were naturally used in various NASA applications. Several of NASA's technical reports detail asbestos blocks were utilized as soldering bases and asbestos composites in pressurized vessels were used to contain gases and fluids that propel rockets.

Shipbuilding and Industrial Workplaces

Almost entirely encompassed by ocean waters, Florida boasts a deep maritime history that traces back to the first Spanish arrivals of the mid-1500s. With expansive rivers, seemingly endless tributaries, and deep waters on nearly all sides, the shipbuilding industry naturally established a strong foundation in Florida. Take, for example, the Pensacola Naval Air Station. Developed in the 1800s, this naval station operated as a shipyard as well as the first Aeronautic Center. During World War I and World War II, when asbestos usage was rampant in shipyards, this station flourished as the shipbuilding industry experience a boom in demand. Other shipyards throughout Florida that undoubtedly share a history with asbestos include the Atlantic Dry Dock, Gulf Marine Repair Corporation, Mayport Navy Station, The Hendry Corporation and Tampa Bay Shipbuilding.

Various other locations in Florida known to have a problem with asbestos have included industrial workplaces such as U.S. Sugar, DuPont Corp. (Forest Wheeler) and the Mulberry Phosphate Mine. Another industrial workplace known have exposed employees to asbestos is power generation plants. Many power plants across the state hold a history with asbestos, such as the Vero Beach Municipal Power Plant, St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant, Crist Power Plant and Big Bear Powerhouse, to name a few. In addition, public buildings such as the Eustis Housing Project, Jacksonville Grammar School and the Miami-Mercy Hospital have also posed an asbestos exposure threat.

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