W.R. Grace & Co. established a trust fund to compensate people after facing lawsuits over its asbestos-containing products and contaminated Libby mine. Asbestos litigation forced the company to file for bankruptcy in 2001. Two trusts were formed in 2014 to settle asbestos claims.
Written by D. Carl Money | Scientifically Reviewed by Sean Fitzgerald, PG | Edited by Amy Edel | Last Update: January 14, 2026
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Following the company’s bankruptcy, W.R. Grace shared a plan to settle with those harmed in 2008. That plan included the creation of an asbestos trust fund. After some changes, the plan was approved and W.R. Grace officially emerged from bankruptcy on February 3, 2014.
As part of the plan, the WRG Asbestos PI Trust was created. It pays people who develop mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. The trust was initially funded with $3 billion.
Trust Fund Updates
In addition to the asbestos trust fund, a separate fund was created in 2014. Security and Exchange Commission filings show that as of June 30, 2021, W.R. Grace had $109.4 million in legacy environmental response costs. The second trust, the Zonolite Attic Insulation Trust, was created to address property damage claims.
If you or a loved one was diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease from W.R. Grace’s products, an experienced mesothelioma lawyer can help. Skilled mesothelioma attorneys can guide you through the process of filing an asbestos trust fund claim.
Your attorney will make sure your trust fund claim with the WRG Asbestos PI Trust is filed correctly and within the trust’s required time frame. The sooner you file, the quicker you’ll receive money to help pay for medical bills and lost income.
Patient Advocates at The Mesothelioma Center can connect you with a lawyer you can feel comfortable working with for your trust fund claim. Our Patient Advocates are also available to match you with the right mesothelioma specialists for your specific medical needs, support groups and free resources for you and your family.
You shouldn’t have to choose between getting care and paying for it. Get the financial support you deserve.
See My OptionsMesothelioma lawsuits against W.R. Grace sought compensation for medical expenses and lost wages. While the bankruptcy and asbestos trust fund process ended lawsuits against a company, one key piece of litigation filed when W.R. Grace was in bankruptcy and was permitted to proceed.
Montana officials sued W.R. Grace over environmental damage in Libby. Montana and the company eventually agreed to an $18.5 million settlement in 2023. The company will pay the amount plus interest over 10 years.
W.R. Grace was also ordered to pay $250 million in 2008 to cover future cleanup costs for the town of Libby. This was 6 years after it was placed on the EPA’s Superfund list.
While you can’t sue W.R. Grace today, if other asbestos companies were also involved in your exposure, you may be eligible to bring a suit against them. For example, Ralph Hutt named W.R. Grace’s insurance company as the defendant in his suit. A Montana jury awarded Hutt $36.5 million in 2022. They agreed the company’s workers’ comp provider failed to ensure safety. Your lawyer can advise you about the best options for you and your family.
W.R. Grace has a long history with asbestos products, including cement, plaster, fireproofing spray and surface materials. W.R. Grace also mined vermiculite in Libby, Montana. The mines were contaminated with asbestos, which is the main cause of mesothelioma.
The company bought the Zonolite Company in 1963 and ran a processing plant in Easthampton, Massachusetts from 1963 to 1992. After that, the site was rented to JPS Acquisition Elastomerics until 2000. W.R. Grace had to clean up the soil at the site since the vermiculite work had polluted it. In April 2001, the company filed for bankruptcy protection.
In 2005, W.R. Grace and its top leaders were charged with hiding the health risks of asbestos in Libby and slowing cleanup efforts. Records showed they knew about the dangers since the 1970s. In 2009, a jury found them not guilty. Many in Libby were disappointed, blaming limits on evidence and the timing of the mine’s closure.
“A human and environmental tragedy has occurred in Libby,” said William W. Mercer, U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana, Department of Justice, in a 2005 statement. “This prosecution seeks to hold Grace and its executives responsible for the misconduct alleged,” Mercer stated.
W.R. Grace manufactured asbestos-containing construction products that exposed workers across multiple industries to dangerous asbestos fibers. The company’s Mono-Kote fireproofing products contained chrysotile asbestos, while its Zonolite product line used vermiculite contaminated with tremolite asbestos from W.R. Grace’s mining operations in Libby, Montana. Workers who handled, applied or removed these materials faced serious health risks that can result in mesothelioma decades after exposure.
W.R. Grace’s Top Asbestos-Containing Products
Construction workers, insulators, drywall finishers and building maintenance personnel regularly worked with these W.R. Grace asbestos products. Spray application workers faced particularly high exposure when applying Mono-Kote and Zonolite fireproofing sprays, as the process released large quantities of asbestos fibers into the air. Workers who mixed powdered products like Zonolite insulating cement and acoustical plaster also inhaled asbestos dust during preparation and application.
Many workers who handled raw materials for W.R. Grace or used its products were exposed to asbestos on the job. This puts them at a higher risk of developing mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases. W.R. Grace workers were in mines, mills and factories, while some also moved vermiculite and other asbestos products for the company.
People who worked in home improvement and used W.R. Grace products were also at a higher risk of asbestos exposure. Those who installed insulation or used Zonolite insulation in their homes could be exposed.
Occupations at Risk of Asbestos Exposure From W.R. Grace’s Products
Some family members of W.R. Grace workers were exposed to asbestos accidentally brought home on clothes, skin and hair. This is called secondary asbestos exposure. People who lived, worked or went to school near the Libby mine or W.R. Grace’s factories were also exposed to asbestos from pollution in the air.
More than 2,000 miles from Libby, people in New York City were exposed to W.R. Grace’s asbestos products in the north tower of the World Trade Center. First responders and survivors of the 9/11 attacks faced health threats from Zonolite Mono-Kote, a spray-on fireproofing that contained asbestos.
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Asbestos.com. (2026, January 14). W.R. Grace & Co. Trust Fund and Lawsuits. Retrieved January 15, 2026, from https://www.asbestos.com/companies/wr-grace/
"W.R. Grace & Co. Trust Fund and Lawsuits." Asbestos.com, 14 Jan 2026, https://www.asbestos.com/companies/wr-grace/.
Asbestos.com. "W.R. Grace & Co. Trust Fund and Lawsuits." Last modified January 14, 2026. https://www.asbestos.com/companies/wr-grace/.
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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