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New Orleans Workers at the W.R. Grace Vermiculite Exfoliation Plant Were Exposed to Asbestos

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New Orleans workers at the W.R. Grace vermiculite exfoliation plant were exposed to asbestos from 1965 to 1989. The facility is located in Jefferson Parish on River Road. During this time, the plant received 148,000 tons of asbestos-contaminated vermiculite from the Libby, Montana mine, also owned by W.R. Grace.

Libby, Montana

The vermiculite mine in Libby operated from the early 1920s until 1990, producing over 70% of vermiculite sold in the U.S. Though vermiculite is a naturally occurring mineral – in appearance, much like mica with multiple shiny layers – it was contaminated with asbestos in the Libby mine. W.R. Grace both mined and processed the ore and then shipped to locations all over the United States, including Louisiana.

The dangers of asbestos contaminated vermiculite

Inhalation is the primary means of exposure to asbestos. As tons of vermiculite were shipped to a location, processed, and shipped out to other locations, the ore released asbestos fibers into the air. These could also be released during the mining, milling, and exfoliation operations. Though workers were the most susceptible to exposure, people in nearby offices and residences could also be exposure, as well as their family members. In the case of W.R. Grace in New Orleans, there is a residential area a few hundred feet northeast of the site.

A report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states, “Some studies suggest that populations who live near asbestos mines and mills have experienced excess asbestos-related diseases, specifically mesothelioma.”

Workers at the W.R. Grace vermiculite exfoliation plant were exposed to asbestos

The W.R. Grace plant was an exfoliation facility. That process required vermiculite to be heated to high temperatures. The water contained in the mineral converted to steam and then separated the mineral into its layers, expanding the vermiculite into small worm-shaped pieces. By doing this, its bulk volume was expanded, or “popped,” and the mineral became a commercially valuable product – primarily for attic insulation, concrete aggregate, masonry insulation, horticultural soil conditioner, and a spray-applied fireproofing. But, in this process, asbestos was released and made available for human exposure.

There was a population of 5,047 within one mile of the facility in 1989, the time production ceased. Jefferson Parish still ranks 19th among all U.S. counties in deaths from mesothelioma.

W.R. Grace reported that at the time operations ceased, a remediation was conducted at the site including vacuum and water rinse of equipment, walls, and floors, and removal of equipment.

What to do if you think you were exposed

Diseases from asbestos exposure, such as mesothelioma, can take up to 50 years before symptoms appear. It has only been 30 years since Libby vermiculite processing ceased. If you think you were exposed, the first precaution would be to stop smoking as that can aggravate any potential lung disease. It would also be prudent to let your doctor know the timeframe and degree of exposure you experienced and have regular checkups.

Exposure from working with a product containing asbestos, such as Libby vermiculite, dramatically increases the risk of disease. The sad truth is that those exposed to vermiculite had no idea they were inhaling fibers that would potentially shorten their lives.

Health Risks from Baby Powder Use

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Johnson & Johnson, along with other companies, were handed a jury verdict for failing to warn consumers about possible health risks from baby powder use. The plaintiffs, a couple who alleged the wife’s pleural mesothelioma was contracted from baby powder use, were awarded $25.75 million by a California jury. As a frequent bowler, the plaintiff used the powder for years on her hands and in her shoes. She also was exposed to asbestos while watching her husband work on his car.

Mesothelioma is a deadly cancer almost always caused by exposure to asbestos.

Mining of talc

Talc and various forms of asbestos are often co-located, making the mining of talc without including asbestos in the final product, a difficult task. A study published in the “International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health,” October, 2014 showed asbestos fibers in the cosmetic talc samples tested. The types found were in various combinations of asbestiform anthophyllite, asbestiform tremolite, and chrysotile fibers. One specific, and unnamed, brand of cosmetic talcum powder was used in all tests.

“Our findings indicate that historic talcum powder exposure is a causative factor in the development of mesotheliomas and possibly lung cancers in women.”

Johnson & Johnson’s defense

The Johnson & Johnson company continues to assert that their products do not contain asbestos and will continue to fight in court.

Carol Goodrich, spokeswoman for Johnson & Johnson said, “We are disappointed with the verdict and we will begin the appeals process. We will continue to defend the safety of our product because it does not contain asbestos or cause mesothelioma. Over the past 50 years, multiple independent, non-litigation driven scientific evaluations have been conducted by respected academic institutions and government bodies, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and none have found that the talc in Johnson’s Baby Powder contains asbestos.”

Plaintiff’s response

David Greenstone, an attorney for the plaintiff stated, “We are extremely pleased that our clients have found a measure of justice, although nothing can truly compensate them for what they have lost. Our clients are hopeful that this verdict can further bring light to this unbelievable example of corporate misconduct.” Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder “has contained asbestos for decades. People need to know about this.”

Health risks from baby powder and other talc-based products

Lobbyists and employees of companies mining or using talc in their products continue to promote the safety of their products to both the government and consumers.  However, talc may be present not only in talcum powder, but in eye shadow, blush, foundation, and many other cosmetic products to this day.

For safety’s sake, look for products marked talc free because according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), “There is no ‘safe’ level of asbestos exposure for any type of asbestos fiber. Asbestos exposures as short in duration as a few days have caused mesothelioma in humans.”

How Does Asbestos Exposure Develop Into Deadly Mesothelioma?

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It is a proven fact that asbestos exposure can develop into deadly mesothelioma. But how does this happen to healthy cells? Microscopic asbestos fibers are inhaled into the lungs, yet the deadly mesothelioma disease can appear in physically remote mesothelial cells¹.

Latest experiments

Arti Shukla, Ph.D., associate professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine and a UVM Cancer Center member, along with colleagues, used two groups of cells – lung epithelial cells¹ and macrophages¹ – in their study because these two cell groups are the first that asbestos fibers encounter when inhaled. These cells were divided into two groups: one exposed to asbestos fibers and the other left alone to grow normally. They grew for three days.

At that time, they collected the exosomes² released by the cells. By examining the proteins in the exosomes, they found the group exposed to asbestos had a great deal of suspicious proteins as opposed to the non-exposed group. The exosomes containing the suspicious proteins were then added to healthy mesothelial cells. After four days, they found significant changes to many cancer-related genes in the previously healthy mesothelial cells.

Why is this important?

This study suggests that exosomes, with their ability for intercellular communication, can alter cellular genetics – even from a distance. It also indicates these exosomes and their proteins, can act as biomarkers pointing to the development, or even the progression, of asbestos-related disease.

Shukla states, “Our findings suggest that cells in one region of the body are capable of sending messages to cells in a distant location, and can cause significant genetic changes. This communication from injured or diseased cells to healthy cells has the potential to initiate changes that might lead to cancer or other diseases.”

Editor-in-chief of The FASEB Journal, Thoru Pederson, Ph.D., adds, “These intriguing findings go a good ways toward explaining the conundrum of how a pulmonary irritant triggers distant effects. They also add to the burgeoning array of studies that link exosome-based communication to pathogenic events.”

In summary, this is an important step toward treating – and  perhaps one day curing – mesothelioma.

Vocabulary of the disease

¹Cell types involved:

Mesothelial cells: These cells form a slippery, non-adhesive protective layer, the mesothelium, in the body’s serous cavities and internal organs.

Epithelial cells: These are the body’s safety shield. Your skin is comprised of millions of these cells, but they also line all your organs, intestines, blood vessels, and throat.

Macrophages: This is a type of white blood cell, carried by your blood to the site of infections. When epithelial cells are damaged, they release chemicals to attract macrophages. They can clean up harmful bacteria, viruses, and dead cells.

²Exosomes: These are very small vesicles that carry RNA and proteins. They were once thought of as merely garbage cans for cell debris, but now are the focus a great deal of scientific interest. Researchers found they enable intercellular communication that may lead to minimally invasive diagnostics.

National Asbestos Awareness Week Resolution

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For the fourteenth time, the U.S. Senate introduced the National Asbestos Awareness Week Resolution to be observed April 1-7, 2018. The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) praised the senate and the bipartisan cosponsors, led by Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) for bringing awareness to these preventable asbestos-related diseases. Other cosponsors were Senators Stve Daines (R-MT), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Dianne Feinstein (D-RI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D_RI), Kamala Harris (D_CA), Patrick Leahy (D_VT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Edward Markey (D-MA), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). There is expectation that this Fourteenth Resolution, paired with the U.S. Surgeon General’s asbestos warning, will again bring the dangers of asbestos to the forefront and save lives.

Aren’t asbestos problems an issue of the past?

Though asbestos use has declined in the US, deaths caused by asbestos have risen according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There are two primary reasons for this:

First, asbestos-related diseases are generally diagnosed decades after exposure. Exposures from the peak usage years of the 1970s are still showing up as deadly diseases for workers of that era.

Secondly, the import and use of asbestos continues to this day in the US. Even patients in the 25-44 age range are dying from malignant mesothelioma demonstrating the ongoing occupational, environmental, and secondary exposure risks. There is no safe type of asbestos or usage. Fibers of this mineral have been found in makeup marketed to young teens as well as in other consumer products. It is still used in brake pads. Other dangers exist when asbestos used in construction or in manufacturing is disturbed in any way – often in remodeling.

The EPA and asbestos

Currently the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is evaluating the risks of asbestos under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The ADAO emphasizes again the necessity of banning asbestos in the US. The past 13 Senate Asbestos Awareness Resolutions combined with five warnings from the U.S. Surgeon General’s office, and President Obama’s recognition of asbestos as a deadly carcinogen, have all confirmed its undue risk to human health and the environment.

The World Health Organization (WHO) affirms, “Exposure to asbestos, including chrysotile, causes cancer of the lung, larynx, and ovaries, and also mesothelioma (a cancer of the pleural and peritoneal linings”. Asbestos exposure is also responsible for other diseases such as asbestosis (fibrosis of the lungs), and plaques, thickening and effusion in the pleura.”

The EPA and asbestos – how you can help

Since the agency is currently evaluating asbestos risks, it is vitally important for voices declaring the dangers be heard. The cooperation of the EPA is necessary for a total ban to be implemented.

If you understand the issues with asbestos and know a ban is necessary, you can contact your senators to support all efforts for the ban. You can also call an asbestos hotline of the EPA.

• Phone: 800-368-5888 or (in the DC area) 202-566-1970
• Hours: 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. EST
• Type of Coverage: A member of the ASBO staff will answer calls
• Description: The Asbestos and Small Business Ombudsman (ASBO) operates a toll-free hotline for the convenience of small businesses, trade associations, and the general public, seeking free, confidential help as it relates to asbestos and a variety of environmental regulatory topics.

Downtown Dallas Former Home of MKT Railyard

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Dallas view of MKT railyard

Downtown Dallas was once the home to the Missouri – Kansas – Texas Railroad, affectionately known as the “MKT” or “Katy” railroad. If you lived in Dallas before the late 1990s, you know this railyard – even if you didn’t realize it belonged to the Katy Railroad. The tracks heading north across the bridge over the Triple Underpass at Dealey Plaza, those used to lead to the Katy railyard. Visible along Stemmons Freeway, the Katy railyard was situated between the former twin smoke stacks of a powerhouse and the iconic Dallas Coors waterfall sign atop the hill overlooking Baby Does Matchless Mine. The area now has been fully redeveloped into Victory Park.

railyards likely source of asbestos exposure for railroad workers But from 1886 to the 1990s, the Dallas Katy railyard was a hub of activity and for much of that time it was also a likely source of asbestos exposure for railroad workers. Steam locomotives were essentially boilers on wheels. They contained thousands of pounds of asbestos insulation. Even in the diesel era, which began in the 1950s, railroad brakes, heating & exhaust systems – and even boxcar floors/walls – contained asbestos until the 1980s.

Exposure locations

The greatest potential for railroad worker exposures to asbestos occurred where major repairs took place – in the roundhouse and back house. However, other exposure potentials still occurred elsewhere with boxcar tear out, brake repair, and even track straightening.

Congress enacted law for railroad workers

Railroad workers who suffer from asbestos-related lung cancer, mesothelioma, or asbestosis can pursue claims through a labor/employment law known as the Federal Employers Liability Act or FELA. FELA was enacted by Congress in the early 1900s as a federal law that protects and compensates railroad workers injured on the job.

Notify your physician

If you were employed as a railroad worker in the 1980s or earlier, you may have been exposed to asbestos. Let your physician know you may have had occupational exposure to asbestos and continue to follow up with them for check-ups and physicals on a regular basis. The earlier an asbestos disease is detected the better.