Asbestos in Pizza Ovens
Historically, many older pizza ovens contained asbestos. The link between asbestos and pizza ovens includes commercial ovens built between the 1940s and 1985. Workers who built the ovens, pizza cooks and oven repair technicians were all at risk for asbestos exposure.

Written by Michelle Whitmer • Edited By Walter Pacheco
Asbestos.com is the nation’s most trusted mesothelioma resource
The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com has provided patients and their loved ones the most updated and reliable information on mesothelioma and asbestos exposure since 2006.
Our team of Patient Advocates includes a medical doctor, a registered nurse, health services administrators, veterans, VA-accredited Claims Agents, an oncology patient navigator and hospice care expert. Their combined expertise means we help any mesothelioma patient or loved one through every step of their cancer journey.
More than 30 contributors, including mesothelioma doctors, survivors, health care professionals and other experts, have peer-reviewed our website and written unique research-driven articles to ensure you get the highest-quality medical and health information.
About The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com
- Assisting mesothelioma patients and their loved ones since 2006.
- Helps more than 50% of mesothelioma patients diagnosed annually in the U.S.
- A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
- 5-star reviewed mesothelioma and support organization.
Testimonials
My family has only the highest compliment for the assistance and support that we received from The Mesothelioma Center. This is a staff of compassionate and knowledgeable individuals who respect what your family is experiencing and who go the extra mile to make an unfortunate diagnosis less stressful. Information and assistance were provided by The Mesothelioma Center at no cost to our family.LashawnMesothelioma patient’s daughter
How to Cite Asbestos.com’s Article
APA
Whitmer, M. (2023, June 20). Asbestos in Pizza Ovens. Asbestos.com. Retrieved December 2, 2023, from https://www.asbestos.com/products/asbestos-in-pizza-ovens/
MLA
Whitmer, Michelle. "Asbestos in Pizza Ovens." Asbestos.com, 20 Jun 2023, https://www.asbestos.com/products/asbestos-in-pizza-ovens/.
Chicago
Whitmer, Michelle. "Asbestos in Pizza Ovens." Asbestos.com. Last modified June 20, 2023. https://www.asbestos.com/products/asbestos-in-pizza-ovens/.
How Was Asbestos Used in Pizza Ovens?
Chrysotile, or “white” asbestos, was a primary component of transite, the fireproof cement used in the bottoms of old commercial pizza ovens. Transite boards could withstand years of cooking temperatures over 500 F and allowed for consistent heat distribution throughout the baking stones of older pizza ovens.
Before the 1980s, manufacturers used asbestos in appliances for its ability to withstand high heat and because it could easily be mixed into other substances, such as cement. Asbestos in pizza ovens reduced cracking and delamination of the baking stone, preventing pizza crusts from burning in some areas and remaining undercooked in others.
Hydraulically pressed cement-asbestos transite boards were present in commercial-grade pizza ovens from the 1940s until at least 1985. Johns Manville, a manufacturer of asbestos products, created the original transite board in 1929. Transite later developed into a term that includes broader fireproof construction materials such as insulation, roofing and siding.
Companies That Manufactured Pizza Ovens with Asbestos
A 2011 lawsuit directly named Blodgett, an oven manufacturer, as having once used asbestos in its cooking stones. Asbestos companies, including A.P. Green and Harbison-Walker, produced asbestos-containing clay products and bricks used in many baking ovens.
While some pizza oven manufacturers used asbestos during production, others sourced asbestos-containing cement and bricks from outside companies. This distinction makes it difficult to determine the manufacturers responsible for pizza oven asbestos exposure.
Fireproof bricks were standard tools for many home chefs, even cited by Julia Child in her original recipe for the perfect baguette. By dropping a heated brick into a pan of water and lining the oven floor with quarry tiles (also potentially contaminated with asbestos), cooks across America could get the perfect combination of heat and steam for dough.
Who Was at Risk of Asbestos Exposure from Pizza Ovens?
Workers who directly handled the production of pizza ovens before the 1980s were most at risk of pizza oven asbestos exposure and mesothelioma. Occupations such as pizza cooks, bakers, oven installers, repair workers and service professionals who spent time near pizza ovens were also at risk of asbestos-related diseases.
Cracked or broken asbestos baking stones in pizza ovens were a potential source of friable asbestos fibers, which could easily be carried through the air or contaminate pizza. Asbestos in pizza ovens put countless pizzeria workers and restaurant-goers at risk for decades.
In the early 1990s, commercial pizza oven makers phased asbestos-containing transite out of baking stones. Newer compositions include cement, silicate mixtures, fiberglass and masonry sand. However, those who continue to use older transite baking stones or service old pizza ovens may still be at risk.
Asbestos Diseases Related to Pizza Oven Asbestos Exposure
Diseases caused by pizza oven asbestos exposure include mesothelioma, lung cancer, laryngeal cancer and asbestosis. Asbestos is nearly invisible and produces no smell or taste, making it easily hidden in smoke or on pizza. Inhaling or ingesting asbestos fibers from cracked or broken transite can cause permanent and fatal disease up to 60 years after initial exposure.
Microscopic asbestos fibers can become trapped within the lungs, the lining surrounding the lungs or the abdomen. The body cannot excrete or destroy asbestos. Over many years, the fibers cause irritation and inflammation, leading to cell damage and tumor formation.
Mesothelioma cancer affects nearly 3,000 people yearly, and patients typically live about 12 months after diagnosis. Symptoms of asbestos-related diseases, such as cough or shortness of breath, often mimic other more common illnesses. If you are at risk of mesothelioma from pizza oven asbestos exposure, a specialist can help you with early diagnosis and treatment.

Compensation for Asbestos Diseases From Pizza Ovens
In 2011, a 56-year-old worker at a Buffalo-area pizza parlor learned he had developed pleural mesothelioma. After cooking pizzas directly on a transite block, he would then scrape and sweep the Blodgett oven interior, exposing himself to asbestos dust. His lawsuit found that Union Carbide supplied raw asbestos to Johns Manville for transite in the Blodgett oven.
Doctors diagnosed restaurant owner and worker Ottavio Belvedere with malignant pleural mesothelioma in 2006. Less than two years later Belvedere died, and his wife filed a wrongful death claim. The case revealed that the Blodgett ovens Belvedere worked with for over 30 years contained asbestos.
Mesothelioma patients and their families have a right to compensation for pizza oven asbestos exposure. Experienced mesothelioma lawyers can review your legal options and advise you on legal claims you may qualify for, including personal injury claims, wrongful death lawsuits and trust fund claims.