Asbestos in Missouri

Occupational and Environmental Areas at Risk

Missouri's chemical, manufacturing and mining industries are important drivers of the state economy. In 2010 and 2011, chemicals, machinery and minerals were among the top five exporting sectors in Missouri. These industries are typically associated with workplace asbestos exposure in the state. Exposure to asbestos and the diseases that often result are a common occupational risk for miners in the St. Francois Mountains region and manufacturing workers.

GAF Corporation, a branch of the German chemical company I.G. Dyes, faced decades of asbestos lawsuits after acquiring Ruberoid Corporation in 1965. The purchase of this roofing supplies manufacturer included ownership of an asbestos mine in Virginia where workers developed medical conditions caused by asbestos exposure. As a result, the mine was closed down less than a decade later in 1975. Also at risk for exposure were workers who manufactured and installed Ruberoid's roof shingles, siding and insulation, as many of the company's construction products contained asbestos materials. Though manufacturing employment in Missouri has been on the decline for decades, the industry stabilized in early 2010 and notable growth has been reported in advanced manufacturing companies that produce commercial machinery, basic chemicals, pesticide and fertilizer.

Exposure to asbestos has also threatened the health of workers at Missouri municipal buildings, typically because of poor asbestos management during renovations. In November 2011, a longtime employee of Jackson County Courthouse received a $10 million settlement in a lawsuit filed over improper asbestos handling procedures, marking the largest asbestos settlement in Missouri. Hickory Hills School in Springfield may have been another site of asbestos exposure. An environmental assessment revealed thirty five different construction materials in the school with detectable concentrations of asbestos. Violations of federal asbestos standards were also documented at Lambert St. Louis International Airport and several fire district buildings, including sites in Hannibal and Beverly Hills.

Some locations in southeastern Missouri contain natural deposits of asbestos, but the fibrous mineral is relatively scarce in the state. Nearly all asbestos deposits in Missouri form along the St. Francois Mountains, a remote region atop the Ozark Plateau that contains some of the state's most unique natural features. The highest asbestos concentrations are found in St. Francois County and adjacent Iron County. Several former mines in this area, including an unnamed prospect in Mark Twain National Forest, a manganese mine in Winona and a small copper mine in Arcadia, contain documented asbestos occurrences. While natural asbestos is typically harmless, mining activity and other disturbances can disrupt the deposits and release dangerous mineral fibers into the air. This can pose health threats to miners as well as surrounding populations if fibers are inhaled.

Joplin Tornado and Asbestos Concerns

A tornado with winds exceeding 200 miles per hour touched down in Joplin, Missouri on May 22, 2011, destroying approximately 8,000 structures and claiming the lives of more than 150 residents. Disaster response efforts conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the coordination of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) were still ongoing seven months later. Among other health issues, the EPA was particularly concerned about asbestos exposure for any workers involved in the cleanup.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, asbestos is commonly found in buildings constructed between 1930 and 1950, and in wall patching compounds and textured paints manufactured before 1977. Because many structures damaged by the tornado contain asbestos materials, the EPA has taken special measures to ensure cleanup workers are safe. Unless they are protected by masks and asbestos is separated from other debris and properly disposed of, workers exposed to asbestos are at risk for respiratory disease and cancer.

The City of Joplin ordered the demolition of 118 heavily damaged homes whose owners failed to contact the city with plans to clear out the remaining debris. Before the city condemns the houses and hires a contractor to safely raze them, certified asbestos inspectors were hired to report any asbestos found on site.

Illegal Asbestos Disposal at Missouri Firehouse

In 2010, impeachment charges were filed against Fire Chief Tim Carter for fraud, dishonesty and inability to follow orders in regards to illegal asbestos abatement procedures at his Hannibal, Missouri fire district building. Although Carter refuted the charges and told the Missouri Department of Natural Resources he was unaware that asbestos was improperly removed, it later came to light this was not true.

In lieu of federal safety procedures like testing for asbestos before abatement, Carter ordered several firefighters to remove asbestos-contaminated tiles, mastic and insulation without the necessary training or safety equipment. Further, Carter did not disclose that the materials contained asbestos or that removal procedures could place his firefighters at substantial risk for asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma. Carter was put on paid administrative leave in November 2009 and his appointment as chief formally expired September 23, 2010. Though the impeachment charges were never proven and the city charter allowed him to return to the fire department, Carter chose to resign from his position.