Congoleum Corporation made asbestos flooring materials from the late 1940s until the mid-1980s. The company faced asbestos litigation that forced it into bankruptcy in 2003. In 2010, it established a trust fund with $270 million to handle asbestos claims.
Written by D. Carl Money | Scientifically Reviewed by Sean Fitzgerald, PG | Edited by Amy Edel | Last Update: December 12, 2025
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Congoleum Corporation filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on December 31, 2003, and emerged in July 2010. A District Court in New Jersey confirmed Congoleum’s bankruptcy reorganization plan, which created the Congoleum Plan Trust with initial funding of $270 million. The trust began accepting claims on July 11, 2011.
Trust Fund Updates
In 2023, the most recent year for which data is available, the Congoleum Plan Trust paid $17.9 million to settle 1,483 asbestos personal injury claims. The trust received 5,497 new claims that year. Since the trust began, it hasn’t approved more than 300,000 claims because they didn’t meet requirements, were withdrawn or were deferred.
The asbestos trust fund continues to use detailed procedures set in its official guidelines to review, evaluate and pay qualifying claims. The complexity of the process for claimants underscores the importance of working with an experienced asbestos lawyer to file. As of January 1, 2026, the trust will implement new withdrawal and refiling deadlines, and all claims submitted to the trust are subject to a $50 filing fee.
A diagnosis of mesothelioma or another asbestos-related illness following exposure to Congoleum flooring products warrants immediate consultation with a mesothelioma lawyer. Skilled legal counsel manages the entire claims process with the Congoleum Plan Trust, from initial documentation through final payment, ensuring all medical evidence, employment verification and exposure proof meets the trust’s specific requirements and deadlines.
An attorney who specializes in asbestos cases will reconstruct your complete occupational timeline, identifying every manufacturer whose products contributed to your exposure. Compensation from companies operating outside of bankruptcy protection can be pursued through mesothelioma lawsuits, which may yield a negotiated settlement or trial verdict. Your attorney coordinates claims across all potential mesothelioma compensation sources while ensuring proper accounting between different recoveries.
Our Patient Advocates provide ongoing support to connect you with experienced asbestos attorneys and comprehensive resources. We facilitate appointments with leading mesothelioma physicians, help you access patient and caregiver support networks and provide assistance navigating insurance complexities.
Gain access to trust funds, grants and other forms of compensation for you or your loved ones.
Get Help NowPrior to filing for bankruptcy, Congoleum was named in thousands of asbestos lawsuits. For example, floor covering contractor Robert Ehret sued Congoleum and several other flooring manufacturers in the late 1990s. He developed pericardial mesothelioma as a result of the asbestos in the flooring he installed for approximately 30 years.
Ehret passed away during the trial. However, the jury awarded his wife and heirs $3.3 million for pain, suffering and loss of consortium and earnings.
Congoleum’s former manufacturing plant in Kearny, New Jersey, became the subject of a $19 million environmental contamination lawsuit. A real estate company that purchased the site paid to remediate asbestos and other contamination, then sued to recover cleanup costs.
In August 2018, U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty ruled that, unlike personal injury lawsuits, environmental cleanup claims could still proceed against certain Congoleum-related entities despite the company’s bankruptcy. This ruling doesn’t affect personal injury or wrongful death claims, which must be filed with the Congoleum Plan Trust.
Congoleum Corporation manufactured flooring products with asbestos from 1947 to 1984. The company used the toxic mineral because it provided heat resistance, making products less likely to catch fire. Asbestos also added strength and durability to flooring materials.
Congoleum used asbestos in its asphalt tiles, vinyl tiles, sheet flooring and countertop covering. Many of the company’s most popular products contained asbestos, including the “Gold Seal” flooring products that were offered in the 1950s.
These products exposed many workers to asbestos, including Congoleum employees who manufactured them, and the end users who worked with them. Workers who got sick from Congoleum products have sued the company for compensation to cover medical bills and lost wages.
Although some of Congoleum’s asbestos flooring products may have been labeled, installers weren’t usually warned about the dangers of asbestos exposure. Cutting or sanding these flooring products during residential or commercial installations could release asbestos fibers into the air.
Congoleum’s Asbestos Flooring
Even the felt backing used in many Congoleum products contained asbestos, adding to the risk. Inhaling these fibers can lead to serious diseases related to asbestos exposure.
Asbestos exposure is the No. 1 cause of work-related deaths in the world. Workers in a number of fields were at higher risk of asbestos exposure because of the fibers within Congoleum’s product.
Higher Risk Jobs
Congoleum’s own repair guidelines state that unless you’re certain the flooring doesn’t contain asbestos, you should assume that it does. This precaution highlights how easily workers could be exposed if proper steps aren’t taken.
Overall, many people involved in installing, repairing or removing Congoleum flooring faced significant health risks because of asbestos. This was especially true before warnings and regulations became more common.
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Asbestos.com. (2025, December 15). Congoleum Corporation Trust Fund and Lawsuits. Retrieved December 15, 2025, from https://www.asbestos.com/companies/congoleum-corporation/
"Congoleum Corporation Trust Fund and Lawsuits." Asbestos.com, 15 Dec 2025, https://www.asbestos.com/companies/congoleum-corporation/.
Asbestos.com. "Congoleum Corporation Trust Fund and Lawsuits." Last modified December 15, 2025. https://www.asbestos.com/companies/congoleum-corporation/.
An occupational scientist or another expert who specializes in occupational hazards reviewed the content on this page to ensure it meets current scientific standards and accuracy.
Sean Fitzgerald, PG, is a research geologist specializing in asbestos environmental studies.
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