Asbestos in Minnesota

Minnesotans may face non-occupational exposure risks from asbestos in older homes and residential buildings. Asbestos can be found in adhesives, appliance parts, flooring, insulation, roofing and many other construction materials.

Vermiculite ore was previously used in home insulation, most commonly in attics. While not all materials with vermiculite contain asbestos, some of them do. Anyone exposed to asbestos-contaminated materials in the home may be at risk of mesothelioma and other serious health concerns.

Iron Ore Mining

In 1865, Minnesota companies began mining iron ore in the Mesabi Range. Iron ore was also mined in the Cuyuna Range, Vermilion Range and Fillmore County. In 1956, taconite mining and production began.

By the late 1990s, mesothelioma cases in Minnesota’s taconite miners had suddenly increased. The state conducted health studies on these workers. In addition to harmful airborne particles, their findings showed that many mines used asbestos products from the 1950s through the early 1970s.

In 2008, the Minnesota Department of Health presented new data that showed 3 – 24 employees had been diagnosed with mesothelioma since they began working for one or more of the following companies:

• Eveleth Mines, LLC
• Hanna Mining Company
• Jones and Laughlin Steel Company (J&L Steel)
• Pickands Mather Company
• Reserve Mining Company
• U.S. Steel Corp.

Manufacturers

Well-known manufacturers in Minnesota, like Conwed Corporation and 3M, used asbestos in their products to increase heat and fire resistance, durability and strength.

Conwed Corporation

From 1958 to 1974, the Conwed plant in Cloquet, Minnesota, made asbestos ceiling tiles and other asbestos-containing products. During this time, the company purchased 50 – 120 tons of asbestos per month.

Employees who worked at Conwed Corporation may have been exposed to dust that contained asbestos. Workers in the following departments may have had more exposure than others:

• Balsam Wool Pulp Mill
• Lo Tone
• Maintenance and repairs
• Nuwood Board Mill, Nuwood Finishing, Nuwood Shipping

Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Company (3M)

Located in St. Paul, Minnesota, 3M has been in operation since 1902. From 1935 to 1986, 3M produced numerous asbestos-containing products, including adhesives and caulks. The company also made personal protective equipment that did not adequately protect workers from inhaling asbestos.

3M put both workers and consumers at an increased risk of exposure and asbestos-related diseases. The company’s past asbestos use has led to thousands of asbestos-related lawsuits against them.

Western Mineral Products

Located in Northeast Minneapolis, Western Mineral Products is a manufacturer that processed vermiculite ore from 1938 to 1989. After processing, the company used the material in insulation because it was light and porous.

Western Mineral Products received their vermiculite ore from Libby, Montana. The ore from this is now known to contain mineral fibers, referred to as Libby asbestos. After processing the ore, the leftover waste rock was set outside and free for anyone to take home.

Many people in this part of Minneapolis used the rocks in their barbecues, driveways, gardens and yards. Children often played on piles of these rocks, as well. These waste rocks were contaminated with asbestos.

Flour Mills

Flour mills may have been a source of asbestos exposure in Minnesota. In the late 19th century, dozens of flour mills opened in Minneapolis, turning the city into an industrial hub. Minneapolis was known as the “Flour Milling Capital of the World” or “Mill City” for several decades.

At the industry’s peak, 25 flour mills were operating in the area. Three companies owned these mills: Washburn-Crosby Company, Pillsbury Company and Northwestern Consolidated Milling Company. During this time, mills were often constructed using asbestos materials and supplied with equipment that contained asbestos.

Oil Refineries

Across the United States, oil refineries are known sites of asbestos exposure. Many oil refineries used asbestos materials, like gaskets, insulation and pipes. These products worked well for heat and chemical resistance. Oil refinery workers exposed to asbestos may develop serious health conditions like mesothelioma.

Minnesota is home to two major oil refineries, the Marathon St. Paul Park refinery and the Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery. Both refineries are directly or indirectly linked to Koch Industries Inc., a multinational conglomerate corporation.

In 2000, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cited Koch Petroleum Group L.P., multiple times for pollution. The subsequent agreements included Koch improving its pollution-control measures. The corporation also paid a penalty for Clean Air Act violations and other environmental claims at the St. Paul Park refinery. That same year, Koch Pipeline Co. agreed to a $35 million settlement for two oil pipeline spills.

Power Plants

The Northeast Power Plant of Austin Utilities in Austin, Minnesota, operated from 1971 to 2016. The demolition process for this power plant began in November 2021, starting with removing all asbestos and equipment inside the facilities.

Many power plants built before the 1980s were constructed with fireproofing materials, insulation and other asbestos-containing products. These building materials can deteriorate over time, releasing asbestos fibers and putting workers at risk of exposure.

03. Superfund Sites

Asbestos Superfund Sites in Minnesota

The EPA has identified two Superfund sites in Minnesota with asbestos contamination: Agate Lake Scrap Yard and Olmsted County Sanitary Landfill. Both sites performed extensive cleanup efforts and have since been taken off the Superfund List.

Agate Lake Scrap Yard

The Agate Lake Scrap Yard is in Fairview Township, Minnesota. The site was added to the Superfund List in 1986 because of contamination in groundwater, soil and surface water. Asbestos-containing pipe insulation was also found on the property.

Upon cleaning up the site, the EPA actively monitored the property and performed several five-year reviews. When groundwater contamination levels reached a healthy goal in 1997, the Agate Lake Scrap Yard was removed from the Superfund List.

Olmsted County Sanitary Landfill

Located in Oronoco, Minnesota, the Olmsted County Sanitary Landfill first opened in 1970. The site accepted commercial, industrial and mixed municipal solid waste, including asbestos materials and solvents.

The Olmsted County Sanitary Landfill was added to the Superfund List in 1986. It stopped accepting most waste in 1987 and permanently closed in 1993. The EPA removed the site from the Superfund List in 1995. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency oversees its operation and maintenance as part of its Closed Landfill Program.

04. Exposure in Minnesota Cities

Asbestos Exposure in Minnesota Cities

Asbestos exposure occurred in a number of Minnesota cities at various jobsites. For example, Minneapolis was a major manufacturing hub during the time when asbestos use was common. Workers in the manufacturing industry may have encountered asbestos in their day-to-day activities.

Exposure may have happened in other cities as well. Mesothelioma patients can speak to an attorney to determine if their workplace may have had asbestos on site.

05. Other Work Sites

Asbestos Risks at Other Minnesota Jobsites

The use of asbestos materials has been confirmed at jobsites across Minnesota. Select a city or town below for a list of work sites with known asbestos exposure. Any level of exposure puts workers at risk of developing mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.