Nebraska Asbestos Exposure

Nebraska is located on Great Plains, which is geologically inactive and has no naturally-occurring asbestos deposits. However, a significant number of jobsites have been identified as sources of asbestos exposure; many of these were power generation plants.

Power plant workers are among the groups at high risk for developing asbestos disease. In 2003, a study of such workers in Puerto Rico showed “abnormalities” in 13% of chest x-rays. Power plant workers should seek legal counsel from a mesothelioma lawyer as they may have been negligently exposed to asbestos.

Asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) were used for over half a century to insulate electric wiring, panel partitions, fire doors, electrical conduits, plaster, drywall, and even cement.

Another high-risk group consists of those who work in the petroleum industry. Asbestos-containing products were used extensively as fire-proofing in most oil facilities. Over time, such insulation becomes friable, producing asbestos dust that is released into the environment.

Another source of asbestos exposure was vermiculite, a building insulation material that was produced in Libby, Montana. This material was nearly always contaminated with asbestos; between 1948 and 1993, two Nebraska companies – one of which was the Western Mineral Products Company - processed nearly 132,000 tons of vermiculite.

Nebraska Cities where Asbestos Exposure Occurred

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

Statistics

The Nebraska death rate attributable to asbestos disease is somewhat lower than many other states. Between 1980 and 2000, fewer that 200 patients succumbed to asbestos disease. Mesothelioma was responsible for two-thirds of these fatalities, despite the fact that it is quite rare compared to asbestosis. However, while asbestosis is treatable and has a good prognosis if diagnosed in time, mesothelioma is invariably fatal; most patients survive no more than eighteen months following a diagnosis at mesothelioma clinics.

Other Nebraska 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

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.

EWG Action Fund. "W. R. Grace Hotspots in Nebraska." Environmental Working Group, 1 June 2005.
http://www.ewg.org/files/NE_factsheet.pdf (accessed 23 August 2010).