Asbestos in Hawaii

Many public buildings in Hawaii built before 1980 were made with asbestos-containing materials. This includes government buildings, hotels and schools. Asbestos products were also used in home construction.

In 2023, asbestos was found in one of the Hawaii State Department of Health (DOH) buildings in Honolulu. The building in question was built in 1961. The DOH is monitoring air quality through regular testing.

Deadly wildfires swept through Hawaii in 2023, mainly on the island of Maui. These wildfires may have exposed Maui residents to asbestos and other harmful toxins, including arsenic and lead. These contaminants were found in the ash and debris.

The State of Hawaii has an Asbestos Program to protect residents and the environment from asbestos exposure.

Shipping

The shipping industry has long formed an important part of Hawaii’s economy. The state has an extensive maritime history that dates back to the early 19th century and early Polynesian settlers. This industry also has a long history of asbestos use.

In the early 19th century, fishing and whaling became lucrative businesses, particularly whaling for whale bones and oil. At one point, up to 400 ships visited Lahaina on the island of Maui each year to go whale hunting.

In the early 20th century leading up to World War II, shipping remained a key industry. Today, Port Hawaii is the state’s commercial harbor system. It is based out of Honolulu Harbor on the island of Oahu.

Nearly 99% of the islands’ imported goods come through this harbor. The amount of asbestos found on ships made the shipping industry a key source of asbestos exposure for many residents and workers in Hawaii.

Agriculture

In the agricultural industry, farming equipment has been known to contain asbestos materials. This machinery is used to plant, harvest and process crops. Farm mechanics and other farm laborers who fix or work with this equipment have an elevated risk of asbestos exposure. This includes farmers who perform their own maintenance work.

Of particular concern in Hawaii is the sugarcane industry. Sugarcane burning is thought to make harvesting more efficient, but it does produce sugarcane smoke. The Hawaii State DOH requested a formal investigation. It was concerned about the chronic health issues of sugarcane workers.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) investigated two companies: the Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company and the Hamakua Sugar Plantation. They took air samples from machinists and mechanics who worked for these sugarcane companies. Some of the samples contained asbestos.

Military

From 1930 to 1980, all branches of the U.S. military used asbestos products on their bases and ships. The mineral was also found in their vehicles and weapons. Military personnel, civilian workers, veterans and their families were at risk of serious health issues. The health threats included mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.

Located on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, Pearl Harbor is one of the most widely known U.S. Navy bases. As of 2010, the Pearl Harbor base is now the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, shared by the Navy and the U.S. Air Force.

Other Hawaiian islands house various U.S. Army facilities. This includes the Tripler Army Medical Center and the Wheeler Army Airfield, both of which are in Honolulu. The U.S. Coast Guard also operates two significant bases: Base Honolulu and Station Maui. Camp H.M. Smith, a U.S. Marine Corps base in Honolulu, is known to be built with asbestos-containing construction materials.

Power Plants

Power plants used asbestos to insulate and protect power-generating machinery from high temperatures. Insulation that contained asbestos was often added to boilers, pipes and turbines. This put power plant workers at a high risk of asbestos exposure.

Lawsuits were filed against several Hawaiian utility companies after the 2023 wildfires on the island of Maui. The companies include Hawaiian Electric Industries, Hawaiian Electric Company, Hawai’i Electric Light Company and Maui Electric Company. The lawsuits say they caused the fires because they didn’t manage their electrical infrastructure.

Ash, debris and dust from the Lahaina Fire released known carcinogens into the air. This included:

• Arsenic
• Asbestos
• Benzene
• Carbon dioxide
• Carbon monoxide
• Lead
• Nitrogen oxide

Any level of exposure to asbestos and other toxic airborne contaminants puts Hawaiian residents’ health at risk.

Manufacturing

The Vermiculite of Hawaii plant in Honolulu operated from 1954 – 1983. Vermiculite is a naturally occurring mineral that can be found across the United States.

From the early 1920s until 1990, vermiculite was mined and processed in Libby, Montana. At the time, the mines in Libby produced approximately 80% of the world’s vermiculite. In 1999, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) added the Libby mines to the Superfund list. The reason was asbestos contamination.

The U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) later discovered that Libby vermiculite was shipped across the country for processing, including to Vermiculite of Hawaii. In 2005, the ATSDR discovered the plant had processed asbestos-contaminated Libby vermiculite.

Any Vermiculite of Hawaii plant workers present during this time frame may have been exposed to asbestos. These employees may also have exposed their families via secondary asbestos exposure. Hawaii residents who lived close to the plant may also be at risk.

03. Shipyards

Asbestos Shipyards in Hawaii

Around the country, shipyards are recognized as frequent sites of asbestos exposure. Hawaii has maintained a rigorous shipping industry throughout its history. This has allowed for an increased risk of asbestos exposure at its harbors and shipyards.

Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard

Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard became a U.S. Navy base and shipyard in 1908, serving as an important operations hub for many years. In 1941, the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service led a surprise attack against Pearl Harbor. It became a front line of defense during the Asia-Pacific War during World War II.

From 1943 until the end of the war in 1945, more than 5,500 ships spent time at the base’s facilities. Shipyard workers who both worked and lived at Pearl Harbor may have faced high levels of asbestos exposure. As such, Pearl Harbor workers have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer and other asbestos-related diseases.

Today, the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard serves as the United States’ foremost facility for fleet maintenance and repair.

Pacific Shipyards International

Pacific Shipyards International launched its first shipyard in Honolulu in 1944 toward the end of World War II. This private company provided shipbuilding and repair services to the U.S. Navy. It currently preserves and repairs military and commercial ships. Shipyard workers were often exposed to asbestos through shipbuilding materials and imported goods.

04. Exposure in Hawaii Cities

Asbestos Exposure in Hawaiian Cities

Hawaiians may have experienced asbestos exposure at jobsites in major cities and on smaller islands. For instance, Honolulu is home to many industries that commonly used asbestos, including shipbuilding and power generation. Workers in these fields may have encountered asbestos products.

Hawaiians risked asbestos exposure in other cities, as well. An experienced mesothelioma lawyer can help residents with an asbestos-related illness determine where exposure may have occurred.

05. Other Work Sites

Asbestos Risks at Other Hawaiian Jobsites

Outside of Hawaii’s major cities, asbestos exposure has been found at other jobsites throughout the islands. Residents and workers in smaller towns throughout Hawaii may also have been exposed to asbestos through commercial buildings, imported goods, schools and workplaces.