Asbestos in Louisiana
ranking in U.S. for mesothelioma & asbestosis deaths
Louisiana is home to one of the largest, most productive seaports on the Gulf of Mexico: New Orleans. Known as The City That Care Forgot and for its Mardi Gras celebrations as well as for a general lifestyle of good food, good drink and good times, New Orleans is also the centerpiece of a state grappling with asbestos issues. Louisiana shipyards, like others around the country, and oil refineries struggled with asbestos exposure. The city and state found a new reason to be concerned about the toxic mineral in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which caused devastation to the point that the region is still recovering. Asbestos-related diseases claimed the lives of at least 562 Louisiana residents between 1999 and 2008.
Treatment Centers in this State
Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Centerview more
Mesothelioma and Asbestosis Deaths, 1999-2008
- 426mesothelioma deaths in Louisiana
- 136asbestosis deaths in Louisiana
- 562est. total asbestos-related deaths
Occupations at Risk
Because of the amount of oil pulled from the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana is home to many oil refinery laborers who were exposed to asbestos on the job and are at risk for developing mesothelioma. Asbestos was used to insulate tanks, vats and pipelines. Salt mines like as Cargill's giant operation in Breaux Bridge used asbestos in the salt purification process. New to the list is the occupation of first responder. Police, fire and rescue personnel, not to mention volunteers, were exposed to asbestos while responding to Hurricane Katrina. Many others were exposed during the Katrina aftermath while cleaning up and rebuilding New Orleans and parishes around southern Louisiana.
- Calumet Refineries in Princeton and Shreveport
- Marathon Refinery in Garyville
- Placid Refining Refinery in Port Allen
- H.R. Grace Site in New Orleans
- Higgins Shipyard New Orleans
- Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans
- Calcasieu, Conoco, Citgo and Valero Refineries in Lake Charles
- Motiva Norco Refinery in New Orleans
- Bollinger Shipyards in Lockport
- Conrad Industries in Morgan City
- Avondale Industries located 12 miles outside New Orleans
Oil Refineries
Asbestos was the favorite material used to insulate pipelines in Louisiana's oil refineries, in Shreveport, Princeton and Lake Charles. It was used for its heat resistant qualities, as oil is highly flammable and the refining process requires high temperatures and pressures. Asbestos was also used to insulate tanks, reactors, pumps and furnaces.
Port of Baton Rouge
One example of how Louisiana residents were exposed to asbestos is the story of heart surgeon Mike Hackler of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. During the summers as a college student, Hackler worked at the Port of Baton Rouge unloading asbestos. Every 100 bags, he was required to open a back and sort through it for any contraband. Several decades later, Hackler and the friends who also worked at the port, were diagnosed with mesothelioma.
Hurricane Katrina, Flooding and Asbestos in Louisiana
The state of Louisiana - and the city of New Orleans particularly - was forever changed in the summer of 2005. Hurricane Katrina hit the Louisiana-Mississippi border that August 29. While much of the city and state stood up to the Category 5 storm, the resulting flood waters from broken levies were devastating.
Water poured into New Orleans, flooding low-lying parishes above many rooflines. Businesses and residences, many of them constructed with asbestos products, were destroyed. When the water receded and cleanup began, thousands of volunteers, emergency workers and municipal employees were exposed to these structures and contaminated products.
Work crews demolitions demolished buildings without proper clothing or following proper safety procedures. The EPA warned anyone participating in the massive cleanup about of the dangers of asbestos. Millboard, drywall, flooring, ceiling tiles and roofing materials were on the EPA's list of potentially toxic products.
The exact asbestos-related toll that Katrina and its aftermath exacted on local residents is unclear and might not come into focus for at least a generation, thanks to the 20- to 50-year latency period of mesothelioma cancer. Asbestosis, a lung disease related to asbestos exposure, has a shorter latency period after exposure, but the shortest period is about 10 years. Meanwhile, the cleanup and rebuilding of New Orleans continues in Louisiana, and the EPA continues to warn about ongoing health issues.
Louisiana and Asbestos Lawsuits
Because of Louisiana's extensive history of asbestos exposure, companies in the state have defended numerous lawsuits. In September 2011, a jury awarded $7.55 million to a Slidell, Louisiana, man who contracted mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos on the job.
Thomas M. Kenney of St. Tammany Parish successfully argued he was improperly exposed to asbestos by manufacturer John Crane Inc. and Haveg Inc. while working at American Can (now Rexam Beverage Can Company). Kenney was also a pipefitter and machinist for Tenneco. Crane produced and supplied asbestos gaskets to Tenneco, while Haveg supplied asbestos-laden piping to Tenneco while Kenney was employed there.
The W.R. Grace Site in New Orleans
Shipyards and oil refineries were not the only sources of asbestos exposure for New Orleans residents. From 1965 and 1985, W.R. Grace & Company's New Orleans' facility processed approximately 148,000 tons of asbestos-containing vermiculite from Libby, Montana. Land use around the now abandoned site was a mix of residential, commercial and industrial. Thousands of community members living, working and shopping around the W.R. Grace site were exposed to toxic asbestos without ever suspecting it. New Orleans' Jefferson Parish, the site of the former W. R. Grace & Company's vermiculite operations, is ranked 19th among all U.S. counties for mesothelioma deaths.
Although the H.R. Grace & Company terminated its New Orleans operations in 1989, its buildings are still standing and abandoned vermiculite processing equipment is still on the facility. Asbestos-containing vermiculite has been observed on the grounds, and it is possible that residents may have scavenged this material for use as fill or driveway surfacing material.
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Last Modified Thursday, February 16th, 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.
