Maryland Asbestos Exposure

Maryland is fifth in the United States in terms of population density with a population of 5.6 million according to the 2000 census. During the last two decades of the 20th Century, one person in 5000 died from asbestos poisoning; half of these were in and around the city of Baltimore. This figure is higher than that of the nation in general; additionally, most of the fatalities were due to asbestosis and not mesothelioma. While it is true that asbestosis is far more common, it is also far less deadly. The reasons people die from this particular disease in greater numbers are not commonly known. If you believe you are at risk you should seek medical attention from any of the mesothelioma clinics in Maryland.

Maryland Cities where Asbestos Exposure Occurred

Provided below is a list of cities in the state of Maryland where asbestos jobsites are known to have been located. If you worked at any of these companies and/or jobsites in Maryland there is a possibility that you may have been exposed to harmful asbestos which is known to cause mesothelioma. Click on any link to view a complete list of jobsites in that city.

Shipyards and Power Plants

The National Cancer Institute, which is based in Bethesda sponsored a study during which 4,700 former employees of the Curtis Bay Coast Guard Shipyard, who worked at the facility between 1950 and 1963. The results were not surprising: shipyard workers were at greater risk for asbestos disease than the general population.

Those working at any of Maryland's power generating facilities run similar risks. A Puerto Rican study published in November 2007 showed abnormalities in 13% of all chest x-rays taken of power plant workers in that country. Power plants in Maryland identified as asbestos sites include:

• Basco Power Electric
• Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant
• Glen Burnie Powerhouse.

Asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) are used in these facilities for conduit lagging, electrical cloth tape and even components of the turbines and generators themselves. A great deal of this was the deadly crocidolite variety, which is not only fire resistant but an excellent electrical insulator as well. Those workers who may have been wrongfully exposed to asbestos should seek legal counsel from a mesothelioma lawyer.

Construction

Supradur Manufacturing was a significant supplier of asbestos cement (Portland cement impregnated with asbestos fibers). These products were apparently used in the construction of the University of Maryland Stadium, which was recently identified as having asbestos issues.

Other Maryland Jobsites Where Asbestos Exposure Occurred

If someone you know has ever worked at one of the Jobsites listed below, they may have been exposed to high levels of asbestos. Asbestos exposure at any one of these Jobsites could put them at risk for developing one of the following asbestos related diseases: malignant mesothelioma (a terminal cancer), asbestos related lung cancer, asbestosis or pleural mesothelioma.

Sources

Bowker, Michael. Fatal Deception: The Terrifying True Story of How Asbestos is Killing America. (New York: Touchstone, 2003.

Cabrera-Santiago, Manuel et al. “Prevalence of Asbestos-Related Disease Among Electrical Power Generation Workers in Puerto Rico.” Presentation at American Public Health Association Annual Meeting, 2007.

Evans, David and Greg Johnstone. “Asbestos Use Companies and Locations in Maryland.” All About Malignant Mesothelioma, September 2005.

Geological Research, Analyses and Services Programs. "Naturally Occurring Asbestos Locations in the Contiguous U.S. and Alaska." Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 25 May 2007.
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/noa/usamap.pdf (accessed 23 August 2010).

Krstev, S. et al. “Mortality Among Shipyard Coast Guard Workers: A Retrospective Cohort Study.” Occupational and Environmental Medicine 64 (October 2007): 651-8.

Mesothelioma Help Center. “Asbestos-cement Production.” MesotheliomaHelpCenter.com.
http://www.mesotheliomahelpcenter.com/3mesothelioma.htm (accessed 23 August 2010).