Massachusetts Asbestos Exposure

The list of more than 400 asbestos sites in Massachusetts includes not only heavy industries where the substance is most often used, but academic buildings, retirement homes, banks and libraries – and a movie theatre.

Massachusetts Cities where Asbestos Exposure Occurred

Provided below is a list of cities in the state of Massachusetts where asbestos jobsites are known to have been located. If you worked at any of these companies and/or jobsites in Massachusetts 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.

An Abundance of Asbestos

Massachusetts was among the first regions to be settled by European immigrants, starting in the early 1600s. After nearly four centuries, the number of old and historic buildings that have been remodeled and renovated repeatedly is substantial. Asbestos building materials have not been around quite as long, but have still been in use since Henry Johns founded the modern asbestos industry prior to the American Civil War.

Ironically, the very thing that made Henry Johns a wealthy man was also the cause of his demise (the H. W. Johns Manufacturing Company was the forerunner of the Johns-Manville division of Berkshire-Hathaway). Johns died from asbestosis at age sixty.

During the last two decades of the 20th Century, 1372 Massachusetts residents died from asbestos disease; nearly half of these (613) were from mesothelioma. Many of these victims were exposed to asbestos in century-old structures as well as heavy industries, where asbestos was used for fireproofing as well as electrical insulation and protection against corrosive and caustic chemicals.

Asbestos Mining

Massachusetts is also home to two naturally-occurring asbestos deposits. One is located in the western part of the state near Pittsfield; the other is in the region of Quabbin Reservoir, near Harvard Forest. Commercial mining operations were carried out near both locations, one of them being W.R. Grace & Company, whose corporate officers were indicted on criminal charges in 2007 over the asbestos mining operations in Libby, Montana. Those who worked in the mines should seek legal counsel from a mesothelioma lawyer as they may have been negligently exposed to asbestos.

Statistics

In Massachusetts, asbestosis deaths slightly outnumber those with mesothelioma and asbestos lung cancer, although the latter diseases are much less common. The reason is that prognosis for asbestosis is far better than that for the latter; mesothelioma is incurable and most patients do not survive more than 18 months following a diagnosis. Asbestosis on the other hand is fairly treatable if caught early on in mesothelioma clinics.

Other Massachusetts 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.

Adams

Adams Flood Control Project
Arnold Print Works
Bancroft Arnold Print Company
Berkshire Cotton Manufacturing Company
Board of Education
Brightwater Paper Company
New England Lime Company
Rudd Company

Amherst

Amherst College
Amherst Company
Amherst Graduate Research Center
Hampshire College
Johnson Acoustics, Incorporated
Tillson Farm
University of Massachusetts
Vermont Rr Tillson Farm

Andover

Andover High School
Andover Plumbing & Heating
Merrimack College
Phillips Andover Academy
Raytheon Manufacturing Company
Shawsheen Mills
Tyer Rubber Company
Western Electric

Arlington

Churchill Apartments
Marex Company
Mirak Building
Symmes Hospital

Athol

Athol Table Manufacturing Company
Diamond Match Company
Edson Fitch
Gay and Ward
L.S. Starrett Company
Union Caro Div F U T O
Union Twist Drill Company

Barnstable

Barnstable County Jail
Barnstable Court House
Barnstable Elementary School
Barnstable High School
Barnstable Maritime Academy
Barnstable Middle School
Barnstable Power Plant
Howard Johnson's

Belmont

Eastern Refractories Inc.
Manganaro Brothers, Incorporated
Mcclean Hospital

Beverly

Beverly Gas and Electric Company
Beverly Hospital
Brimball School
R.S. Elliott Plumbing & Heating
United Shoe Machinery Company
Zampell Refractories

Blackstone

Blackstone Manufacturing Company
Blackstone‐Millville Regional School
Lonsdale Company Blackstone Mill
Town of Blackstone

Bridgewater

Bridgewater State College
Bridgewater State Prison
Bridgewater State Teachers College
Mammoth Mart
State Farm
State Normal School

Brighton

Acands, Inc.
Boston Edison Company
Brighton High School
C.J. Cox Engineering
Edgar Station
Heil Equipment
Hufarelli Const Company
Village Manor

Brookline

Brookline Hospital
Brookline Police Station
Grossman's
Hearthstone Plaza
Pine Manor College
Sears
St. Mary's Garage

Burbank

Burbank Hospital

Buzzards Bay

Buzzards Bay Maritime Academy
Buzzards Bay Maritime Academy-Library
Buzzards Bay Prison

Cambridgeport

Boston Bridge Works
Cambridge Electric Light Company
Ivers and Paul Piano Company
J. Reurdon and Sons, Corporation
Kennedy Biscuit Works
Morse and Whyte
Simplex Wire and Cable Company

Charleston

Boston Naval Shipyard
Charleston Naval Shipyard
Davidson Rubber Company
Geo M Fox Company
Hood Milk
Seaboard Engineering Company
U.S. Naval Dry Dock
W.F. Schraft & Sons Corporation

Concord

Concord Municipal Light Plant
Concord Prison
Concord Reformatory Powerhouse
Emerson Hospital
Middlesex Insurance Company Building

Dalton

Byron Weston Company
Crane and Company
Crane Paper Company
Craneville School

Danvers

Amdur Leather Company Inc
Amdur-Limon Tanning Company
State Hospital
Sylvania Electric Products
Thiokol Corporation

Deerfield

Deerfield Academy

East Braintree

Braintree Electric Light Dept.
East Braintree Finishing Company
Mass. Oil Refining Company

East Cambridge

Blake and Knowles Works
Boston Bridge Works.
Boston Woven Hose and Rubber Company
Cambridge Electric Light Company
Cambridge Gas Light Company
Gro F Blake Manufacturing Company
John P. Squire and Company
Revere Sugar Refinery

East Walpole

American Wood Board
Bird & Son Roofing
Bird and Son Inc
F W Bird and Son
Hollingsworthand Vose Company
Roofing Plant

Easthampton

Aspinock Corp Hampton Print Works Div
Easthampton Maintenance Company
Easthampton Rubber Thread Company
United Elastic Corp

Foxboro

Conell Building
Foxboro Co.
Foxboro Control Manufacturing Co.
Foxboro Elementary School
Foxboro High School
Foxboro Instruments
Foxboro Library
Foxboro State Hospital

Gloucester

Babson School
Boston and Northern St Railway Company
Cape Ann Anchor & Forge
Essex County Electric Company
Gloucester Electric Company

Greenfield

Berkshire Gas Company
Greenfield Electric Light Company
Greenfield Hospital
Greenfield Tap & Die
Greenfield Tool & Die
Miller Falls Company
United Greenfield Corp

Hingham

Bethlehem Steel Shipyard
Hingham Shipyard
Hingham Town Office
Notre Dame Academy

Indian Orchard

Fiberloid Corporation
Hodges Carpet Company
Monsanta Chemical
Springfield Foundry Company

Lakeville

Assawansett Elementary School
Lakeville High School
Lakeville Hospital
Lakeville Nursing Home
Lakeville School
Lakeville Water Treatment Plant

Lee

Geo Westinghouse Jr
Kimberly-Clark Paper Mill
Lee High School
Mead Paper Mill
Schweitzer Paper Mill
Smith Paper Company
Western Wire & Steel

Leominster

American Hoechst
Borden Chemical Company
Foster Grant
Leominster Heating
Leominster Hospital

Lexington

Honeywell
Hugh Stubbins Jr. residence
Itek Corporation
Lexington and Boston St. Railway Company
Page Plumbing & Heating
Rte 2A & Rte 128

Marlboro

City Hall
Marlboro Courthouse
Marlborough Electric Company
Stop & Shop Incorporated

Milford

Archer Rubber Company
Magid Hope Silk Mnfg Company
Milford Hospital
Milford Pink Granite Company
Milford Water Company

Milton

Milton Academy

Munson

Munson State Hospital

Nantucket

Nantucket Elementary School
Nantucket Hospital
Nantucket Island Powerhouse
Nantucket Island Towers
Nantucket Navy Base Nantucket Personnel Bldg.
Nantucket School

Needham

American Can Company
Charlescrest Apartments
Needham High School
Polaroid
Sandler Harmony Shoemakers
Thermodynamics Corporation

North Adams

Arnold Print Works
Greylock Paper Mill
Hoosac Cotton Mills
Mt. Greylock High School
North Adams College
North Adams Gas Light Company
North Adams State Teachers College
Sprague Electric Company

North Andover

Davis & Furber Machine Company
M. T. Stevens & Sons Company
Peter Aziz Company
Stevens Paper Mill
Western Electric Company

North Attleboro

Commercial Press Building
Electric Light Board
First United Methodist Church
T. J. Smith Company
Webster Company

North Grafton

Loewy Construction Company
Washington Mills Abrasive
Wyman Garden Company

Northampton

Butler and Ullman, Inc.
Cooley Dickenson Hospital
Massachusetts State Hospital
Northampton State Hospital
Smith College
State Hospital
U.S. Engineers Flood Control
U.S. Veterans Administration Hospital

Northbridge

American Optical

Northfield

Northfield Mountain Hydro Power

Norwood

Allied Container
Bird & Son Flooring Plant
G and H Morrill Company
General Builders
Harding & Smith, Inc.
Holliston Mills Inc.
Norwood Hospital
Van Ham Pattern & Foundry
Winslow Brothers & Smith Company

Palmer

Central Mass Electric Company
Diamond National Corp
M J Whittall
Palmer and Munson St.Railway Company
Town of Palmer Wastewater Treatment Plant
Wright Wire Company

Rowe

Bear Swamp Hydroelectric Plant
Yankee Atomic Electric Company
Yankee Nuclear Power Plant

Roxbury

Boston Technical High School
Columbia Apartments
Elm Hill Apartments
Mr Boston Distiller
New England Baptist Hospital
New England Insulation Company
Preston Plumbing
Roxbury Memorial School
Veteran's Administration Hospital

Russell

Texon, Inc.
Westfield Power & Water
Westfield Power Paper Company
Westfield River Paper Company

Seekonk

Ann & Hope Department Store
Apex Chemical-Teknor
Bliss Marine
Chemical Plant
Ledgemont Country Club
Sullivan Donut
Tauton Cooperative Bank

Somerset

Brayton Point Station
Montaup Electric Company
Mount Hope Iron and Steel Manufacturing Company
New England Power Company
Nrg Energy Inc
Pgande National Energy Group
Polly Farm & Supply Company
United States Generating

South Lee

Hulburt Paper Company
Mead Paper Specialty
Mead Technical Papers
South Lee Paper Mill

South Weymouth

Boston Edison Company
South Senior High School
South Shore Hospital
South Weymouth Naval Air Base

Southbridge

American Optical Corporation
Ames Worsted Company
Hamilton Woolen Company
Southbridge Finishing Company
Universal Blank Company

Truro

Otis Air Force - 500 Man Theatre
Otis Air Force Base
Otis Air Force Base - Building 128
Otis Air Force Base - Coast Guard Hangar

Walpole

Harwood Engineering Company, Inc.
Hollingsworth and Vose Company
Mass Chemical Company
Norfolk Southern Railroad
The Kendall Company
W.K. Gilmore
Walpole State Prison
Walpole Tire and Rubber Company

Wareham

A & P Warehouse
Buzzards Bay Mar. Acad.-Gym & Pool
Commonwealth Electric
Telephone Building
Tobey Hospital
Wareham Housing
Wareham Intermediate School
Wareham School

Wellesley

Academy of The Assumption
Lake Waban Laundry
Newton Wellesley Hospital
Wellesley College
Wellesley Junior High School
Wellesley Public Works Garage

West Lynn

General Electric Company
Lynn Gas and Electric Company
New Gear Plant
River Works
Thomson Houston Electric Company
Utility Section River Wrks

Westborough

Bay State Abrasive Products
Lyman School For Boys
Milk Street Sub Station
New England Power Service
State Hospital

Woods Hole

Woodshole Oceanographic Lab

Wrentham

Holiday Diner
Vogel School
Wrentham Elementary School
Wrentham High School
Wrentham State Hospital
Wrentham State Hospital-Boiler Room
Wrentham State School

Yarmouth

Yarmouth Catholic Youth Center
Yarmouth Elderly Housing
Yarmouth School

Sources

Alewife Study Group. "W.R. Grace."
http://www.alewife.org/grace/grace_index.html (accessed 23 August 2010).

Evans, David and Greg Johnstone. "Asbestos Use Companies and Locations in Massachusetts." 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).