North Carolina has military bases, shipyards, mines, and vermiculite refineries responsible for exposing people to asbestos.
Asbestos in North Carolina Military Bases and Shipyards
The Fort Bragg Army base in Fayetteville was built with many asbestos-containing materials.
Soldiers at Fort Bragg were required to remove tiles that contained asbestos out of barracks. They were given no proper training or gear to safely remove the asbestos.
It was found that those tiles contained chrysotile asbestos. Not only were the soldiers that removed the asbestos exposed, but also other soldiers in the area may have been exposed to asbestos in the air after the project was finished.
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville includes several camps and a Marine Corps air station. Camp Lejeune’s public release stated that asbestos is present in floor tiles and mastic, roofing materials, joint compound, thermal insulation, and boiler gaskets on the base.
In addition to asbestos exposure, Camp Lejeune’s water was also contaminated and exposed many military and civilian personnel on the base to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that cause cancer and other illnesses.
Many liberty ships were built in in Wilmington, North Carolina. These ships carried two-thirds of the U.S. cargo during World War II. Over 2,700 liberty ships were built rapidly beginning in the 1940s. Many of these ships contained materials that included asbestos, causing many builders to contract asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma.
Asbestos in Mines and Refineries
The North Carolina mining industry was a major source for asbestos-contaminated talc. Many mines were located around the Appalachian Mountain Range
where asbestos and talc naturally occur. Mine workers and residents of that area were constantly exposed to asbestos during active mining years.
Zonolite, Inc., refined vermiculite in North Carolina starting in the 1950s. They were owned by W.R. Grace, a company responsible for exposing Libby, Montana residents with their infamous mine there. Vermiculite from Libby, Montana was processed at the Zonolite refinery until 1987.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has listed three other North Carolina facilities that “potentially” received Libby’s vermiculite: Southern Vermiculite Plant in Franklin County, Carolina Wholesale in Sanford and the American Vermiculite Company in Spruce Pine.
Other Sources of Asbestos Exposure in North Carolina
Other industries that could contribute to asbestos-related illnesses are forestry, construction, farming operations, manufacturing, power generation, oil refining, chemical production, and teaching.
Record Asbestos Verdict Awarded to North Carolina Worker
In 2018, Ann Finch was awarded $32.7 million by a North Carolina jury for her husband’s death from mesothelioma. His exposure to asbestos was caused by insulation manufactured by Covil Corp.
Contact a North Carolina Asbestos Exposure Attorney Today
Experienced North Carolina asbestos exposure lawyers are known to secure settlements for millions of dollars and recover payouts from asbestos trust funds.
It is important to work with an attorney who is familiar with the legal steps of filing lawsuits and trust fund claims within North Carolina. At Brayton Purcell, we are ready to fight for you. Call us today.
