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Asbestos in Florida

Linda Molinari
Author: Linda Molinari
Jennifer Lucarelli
Last Updated: 3/6/2026

Florida industries, like shipbuilding and construction, used asbestos for years. Workers in the state risked occupational exposure. Veterans also faced exposure risks at naval bases and other government facilities. Mesothelioma cancer can develop after inhaling asbestos fibers.

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Asbestos Use in Florida

Asbestos use was common in Florida for much of the 20th century. Because the state has no natural asbestos deposits, companies imported the raw mineral for processing. They also made and used asbestos products. This put workers and other Floridians at risk of exposure.

Previous use of asbestos continues to pose risks to many Floridians. For example, older homes and schools may still contain asbestos construction materials.

Asbestos poses health risks to anyone exposed. Inhaling or swallowing the asbestos fibers can cause diseases like mesothelioma and lung cancer.

Florida Asbestos Statistics

Florida has the second-highest number of mesothelioma cases in the United States, following California. Most often, people diagnosed with this disease were exposed to asbestos at their workplaces.

Key mesothelioma facts and statistics about the state from 1999 to 2020 include:

  • Florida ranked second in the United States for the most mesothelioma cases at 5,125.
  • Florida ranked second in the United States for the most mesothelioma deaths at 3,676.
  • Citrus, Indian River and Charlotte Counties had the highest mesothelioma mortality rates in the state.

Those diagnosed with mesothelioma have treatment options at cancer centers in Florida. Patients can travel to Miami, Orlando and Tampa centers, among others. They can also travel out of state for treatment.

Patients and families also have options for legal aid in Florida. Specialized mesothelioma lawyers work to win compensation from companies that exposed workers and others to asbestos.

Occupational Asbestos Use in Florida

Florida companies put workers at risk of occupational exposure. Many knew the health risks posed by asbestos but continued to use it, leading to worker exposure. Families also faced secondary exposure risks from fibers on workers’ clothes and in their hair. Any amount of exposure can cause asbestos diseases to develop.

Florida is home to a number of industries associated with extensive asbestos use. Workers in the power, oil and agriculture industries faced exposure risks. Florida companies also employed people to process raw asbestos.

Occupations Exposed to Asbestos in Florida

Florida workers may face ongoing exposure risks at certain jobsites. Old equipment and building products may still contain asbestos materials. Age and wear and tear can cause these materials to release asbestos fibers into the air.

Power Plants

At least 14 Florida power plants have documented asbestos exposures. A prominent power plant in Florida is the Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station in Miami-Dade County. Asbestos helped insulate pipes, boilers and turbines. Plant workers and other tradesmen such as boiler workers and electricians involved in the construction and maintenance of machinery at Turkey Point were exposed to asbestos regularly.

Oil Platforms

U.S. offshore and deepwater oil drilling began in the Gulf of Mexico, which Florida borders. Since 1942, thousands of offshore drilling structures have been installed in the Gulf. The highly flammable nature of drilling operations means that many offshore rigs likely contained asbestos products. Floridians who worked on these rigs may have been exposed.

Sugar Cane Refineries

Sugar is an important crop in Florida. By the mid-1960s, the state had hundreds of thousands of acres dedicated to growing it. Companies like Florida Sugar and Food Products Company processed the crop at mills. Sugar mills often used asbestos equipment as part of the sugar refining process.

Questions About Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure in Florida? Ask experienced mesothelioma advocate Jennifer Lucarelli Ask a Question

Asbestos Shipyards in Florida

Florida is home to a number of commercial and naval shipyards. Historically, shipyards are associated with high levels of asbestos use. As a result, Floridian workers and U.S. Navy personnel faced asbestos exposure risks at these locations.

Atlantic Dry Dock

Atlantic Marine Inc. opened Atlantic Dry Dock in the 1960s. Workers at the jobsite repaired ships and drilling rigs. The dry dock was equipped to service large vessels, including yachts and Navy ships.

Dry dock facilities like this one put workers in contact with a number of asbestos products used in ship construction. For example, shipbuilders and repair workers faced exposure risks when inspecting and repairing hulls.

Hendry Corporation

Hendry Corporation began in 1926 in Tampa, where its main shipyard is located. The shipyard repaired government and commercial ships. Over the years, potentially thousands of workers have been exposed to asbestos from repair work done at Hendry’s shipyards.

Jacksonville Shipyard

Jacksonville has a long history of shipbuilding and has been home to several shipyards that built and repaired commercial and naval vessels. Many of the old shipyards have been shuttered including Jacksonville Shipyards, Inc. and Gibbs Corporation, which was once the largest shipbuilder in the south. These shipyards are jobsite matches for many asbestos trust funds due to the frequent use of asbestos products in the yards and aboard ships built and repaired there.

Naval Air Station Pensacola

Naval Air Station Pensacola provided air training to naval personnel. Trainees from the base have served in both World Wars and the Korean War. Thousands of aviators received training at this base’s navy yard and other facilities.

Military personnel, their families and civilians faced asbestos exposure risks from working and living on the base.

Naval Station Mayport

The United States commissioned Naval Station Mayport in 1942. The base is located near Jacksonville. It harbors ships and has a runway to accommodate aircraft. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the base grew its ship and aircraft capabilities.

Navy veterans and other personnel at the naval station faced asbestos exposure risks.

Tampa Shipbuilding

Tampa Shipbuilding was founded in 1917 as Tampa Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company. For a period of time, it was the largest employer in Tampa. In the 1940s, the company built a wide range of ships, including:

Workers at Tampa Shipbuilding also performed conversions and repairs. The location is now owned by Gulf Marine Repair, a Hendry Marine Industries company.

Asbestos Exposure in Florida Cities

Provided below is a list of Florida cities with known asbestos use in workplaces. Click on a city to see more details about specific jobsites where asbestos exposure occurred.

Asbestos Risks at Other Florida Jobsites

Asbestos exposure also occurred at jobsites outside the Florida cities listed above. Below are many known asbestos jobsites in the state. People who have worked at these sites should discuss possible exposures with their doctor. Early mesothelioma diagnosis is associated with better patient outcomes.

Florida Asbestos Work Sites
Sources

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC WONDER: About Underlying Cause of Death, 1999-2020.

  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC WONDER: United States and Puerto Rico Cancer Statistics, 1999-2021 Incidence Request.

  3. Commander, Navy Region Southeast. HISTORY.

  4. FindLaw. Florida Asbestos Regulations.

  5. GlobalSecurity.org. Atlantic Marine.

  6. Hendry Marine. OUR HISTORY.

  7. National Centers for Environmental Information. Gulf of Mexico Data Atlas.

  8. U.S. Geological Survey. Reported Historic Asbestos Mines, Historic Asbestos Prospects, and Natural Asbestos Occurrences in the Eastern United States.

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Linda Molinari, Editor in Chief at Mesothelioma.com
Written by Linda Molinari Editor in Chief
Jennifer Lucarelli
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