Malignant mesothelioma is aggressive cancer that affects the lining that surrounds many of our organs and body cavities. The most common form of the disease is pleural mesothelioma that invades the delicate tissue surrounding the lungs.
Asbestos exposure causes almost all mesothelioma cases. When asbestos is handled or disturbed, invisible asbestos particles become airborne and may be inhaled or swallowed. If you worked in heavy industry or manufacturing in North Dakota before 1980, it is possible you were exposed to asbestos.
Approximately 3,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma per year (mesothelioma death statistics), and most patients do not live for more than a year. (Mayoclinic.org)
North Dakota and Asbestos Exposure
Most mesothelioma cases are caused by occupational asbestos exposure. North Dakota has a relatively low mesothelioma rate because much of its economy is agriculture-based. (asbestos.com).
However, there still is an asbestos exposure risk in North Dakota from natural disasters, and some industries in the state did expose workers to the toxic substance.
North Dakota Sites of Asbestos Exposure
If you were around the following industries and areas in North Dakota, you may have been exposed to asbestos years ago and not been aware of it. (mesothelioma.com)
Power Plants
There are three power plants in North Dakota that have had asbestos exposure problems: Coyote Station, Stanton Powerhouse, and United Power. Two other Grand Forks sites – Northern States Power Company and Grand Forks Gas and Electric Company – also exposed many power plant workers to asbestos during their operations.
Asbestos was used often by power companies to protect against heat and fire in turbines, generators, boilers, and gaskets.
Manufacturing
Robinson Insulation Plant was located in Minot and exposed workers to a lot of asbestos. From the 1960s through the 1980s, the plant had at least 16,000 tons of asbestos.
Environmental samples from the plant showed that much of the asbestos came from the mines in Libby, Montana. All former workers from this plant should have a regular medical checkup to see if they have any signs of an asbestos-related condition.
Vermiculite
While no asbestos was mined in North Dakota, vermiculite mined in Libby, Montana, was processed in North Dakota in Stanton, Minot, and Center. Vermiculite is a harmless type of clay, but it can be mixed with tremolite, a deadly type of asbestos.
Some estimates indicate that at least 300 shipments of 26,000 total tons of asbestos-contaminated clay were sent to these North Dakota cities. Asbestos eventually was processed and put into many industrial and consumer products.
Oil Refineries
This state has at least one oil refinery that is known to have had asbestos problems – BP Amoco in Mandan. Because of the volatility of oil and petroleum, oil refineries often contained high levels of asbestos to prevent fires.
Unfortunately, many of the employees at oil refineries were exposed to asbestos and developed mesothelioma later in life. Other oil refineries in the state are American Oil Refinery and Standard Oil.
Missile Silos
During the Cold War, missile silos were built throughout several states, including North Dakota. The idea was to maintain the concept of mutually assured destruction if a major war broke out with the Soviet Union or other countries.
These military installations were built in the 1950s and contain a lot of asbestos, as did many military bases, including Grand Forks Air Force Base. Construction workers and the military workers who were employed at these sites were exposed to asbestos for years.
Flooding in Minot
There was a large flood in Minot in the summer of 2011. The EPA warned homeowners that asbestos exposure was a major threat in the aftermath. Homes that were built before 1980 and damaged in the flood probably contained asbestos.
About 11,000 residents were evacuated and 4,000 homes were damaged. Zonolite insulation in attics of older homes in Minot was of particular concern to health officials.
North Dakota Job Sites With Asbestos Exposure
If you worked at any of these companies in North Dakota, you may have been exposed to asbestos:
- Garrison Dam
- Cowan Building
- West Acres
- F-M Insulation
- Pillsbury Company
- Basic Electric Power Corporation
- Lignite Combustion Engineering Company
- Montana-Dakota Utilities
- Dakota Clinic
North Dakota Asbestos Exposure Laws
The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality regulates asbestos mitigation and abatement in the state. The Asbestos Control Program enforces emission standards for the carcinogen according to state pollution control rules.
The program also provides certification and licensing for contractors for asbestos removal projects and abatement activities. There are 55 companies licensed in the state at this time that can perform asbestos abatement.
If a structure is being renovated or demolished in North Dakota, it must be audited by a state-certified contractor to check for asbestos. Any asbestos must be disposed of safely in an approved landfill. Also, a Notification of Demolition and Renovation form has to be submitted to the department 10 working days before any demolition activity is initiated. (DEQ.ND.gov)
North Dakota Asbestos Attorneys
If you have mesothelioma and were exposed to asbestos in North Dakota, please contact one of these respected asbestos exposure attorneys:
David C. Thompson, P.C.
321 Kittson Avenue
Grand Forks, North Dakota, 58201
(701) 213-4916
www.davidthompsonasbestoslaw.com
If you or your loved one has been injured from asbestos, David C. Thompson can help you get the mesothelioma financial compensation to help pay for your medical treatments, pain and suffering, and lost wages. He has more than 30 years of experience handling North Dakota asbestos mesothelioma litigation and he is ready to assist you.
Larson Law Firm
1020 North Broadway
Minot, North Dakota, 58703
(701) 638-3091
www.ndakotalaw.com
Larson Law Firm has years of experience in product liability and mesothelioma lawsuit cases such as asbestos exposure. If you were exposed to asbestos in North Dakota and do not know how you will pay for your medical bills and support your family, call Lawson Law Firm today.
Request Immediate Legal Help
With over $30 billion available for victims through asbestos bankruptcy trust funds, you are entitled to financial compensations without ever filing an asbestos, lung cancer or mesothelioma lawsuit. You need legal representation to get started. Mesothelioma & lung cancer victims qualify immediately. Complete the form or call us toll-free (800) 352-0871 immediately.
