Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure in Ohio

Asbestos and Mesothelioma Statistics in Ohio

• From 1999-2015, 1,939 Ohio residents died from mesothelioma
• Ohio has a mesothelioma mortality rate of approximately 10 people per million each year (Source: CDC)
• Jefferson and Washington counties ranked in the top 50 counties in the U.S. for the highest age-adjusted mesothelioma death rates from 2000 – 2009 (Source: CDC)
• There are no known occurrences of asbestos anywhere in the state (Source: USGS)

Asbestos Exposure in Ohio Workplaces

Residents of Ohio may not face exposure from any natural asbestos deposits, but there are many workplaces throughout the state known to have utilized asbestos.

Steel:

Cleveland is known as an industrial city, and steel companies help fuel the economy for the city. Cleveland and other cities throughout the state are home to companies like J & L Steel Corporation, Midland Steel, and Carnegie Steel Company. Asbestos was commonly used in steel mills for insulation in its construction and for the equipment. Workers in these steel companies, from the machinists to the conductor, all faced the potential of exposure.

Oil Refineries:

These job sites throughout the country are notorious for asbestos use. Older facilities relied on asbestos for insulation, as well as within equipment. Ohio has several oil refineries that were known to cause exposure, including BP, Sunoco, Marathon Ohio, and Clark Refining.

Schools:

Teachers and staff at schools face an elevated risk of mesothelioma because asbestos can so commonly be found in older school buildings. Though schools are required to have asbestos management plans in place because of AHERA regulations, exposures still occur. Jackson Elementary School in Maumee, Ashland College and Bluffton College all are known to have asbestos somewhere in their buildings.

Power Plants:

Many of the power plants operating in Ohio are considered among some of the worst polluters in the nation, especially since the majority of these plants are fueled by coal. Conesville Power Plant and Muskingum River Power Plant are both coal-fired power plants. In addition to their pollution from high emissions and contaminated groundwater, both have also used asbestos heavily throughout their facilities. Asbestos can be found in fire doors, pipes, insulation, gaskets, and more, making exposure a high risk for workers.

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Asbestos Shipyards and Superfund Sites in Ohio

Ohio has dozens of sites included on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund List, including one contaminated with asbestos among other hazardous waste. Ohio was also home to one shipbuilding company that operated shipyards throughout the country.

American Shipbuilding Company

The American Shipbuilding Company originated in Cleveland back in the 19th century, and acquired other shipyards across several states over the next several decades. During the World Wars, the company continued to grow and develop more shipbuilding facilities in even more states. The company eventually moved its headquarters to Lorain, where they built two huge drydocks of over 1,000 feet. Throughout this time until the 1970s, the company regularly relied on asbestos-based products at all of its shipyards. It was common practice among shipbuilding companies to rely on asbestos materials in the building of their ships, like gaskets and boilers and insulation. Though the company eventually closed their Ohio facilities in 1984, thousands of employees faced exposure while working there.

Chem-Dyne

Chem-Dyne in Hamilton is a 10-acre site that was an industrial center for producing various chemicals. In the 1970s, the site also became a disposal and storage facility for chemical waste. Chem-Dyne formed after finding success creating antifreeze from recycling the chemical waste. Any chemicals that weren’t able to be recycled were stored in drums on site, which over time amounted to over 30,000 drums of waste containing over 300,000 gallons of waste materials when operations ceased in 1980. The EPA added the site to the Superfund list shortly after and began cleanup efforts. They found contamination from arsenic, asbestos, benzene and numerous other chemicals in the soil, groundwater and structure. Cleanup and monitoring are ongoing with another evaluation set for 2020.

Ohio Cities with Asbestos Problems

Provided below is a list of cities in the state of Ohio where asbestos use in the workplace is known to have occurred. Click on a city below to see more detailed information about the specific job sites where asbestos exposure occurred.

• Akron
• Alliance
• Canton
• Cincinnati
• Cleveland
• Columbus
• Dayton
• Elyria
• Evendale
• Lockland
• Mansfield
• Toledo
• Youngstown

Asbestos Exposure at Other Ohio Job Sites

Workplace asbestos exposure is also a concern in smaller towns and cities in Ohio. Select a town below to see the list of its job sites known to have exposed workers to asbestos. Asbestos exposure at any one of the job sites revealed could have placed a worker at risk to develop mesothelioma cancer and other asbestos-related diseases.