Although Newark’s economy is now principally focused on insurance and financial services, the city still has many industrial facilities, including chemical works, breweries, and paint manufacturers. Additional industrial businesses include laboratories, petroleum refineries, transportation facilities, and power generation plants. The “Ironbound” section of Newark gets its name from the iron rails used in railroad tracks laid down in the 1830s, although there were many iron foundries and forges there at one time. Since the 1800s and up until the the early 1980s, many companies in Newark heavily depended upon asbestos. Consequently, there are now thousands of Newark residents who suffer from the life-threatening injuries that come with asbestos exposure.
If you or a loved one suffer from mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may qualify for substantial compensation. Fill out our form to receive our free Financial Compensation Packet. Our packet is loaded with information on leading mesothelioma attorneys in Newark, how to file a claim for asbestos trust funds, how to get paid in 90 days, and more.
Asbestos was heavily used in Newark’s industries from the 19th Century until the late 1970s. Many factories, metalworks, oil refineries, chemical plants and breweries used the fibrous minerals to protect facilities and workers from fire and heat. They also used asbestos because it is a good conductor of electricity and resists corrosion and chemical reactions. Asbestos fibers are so soft and pliable that they can be woven to make firefighting garments and other items.
However, research by physicians and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) eventually determined that asbestos causes various diseases, including lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma cancer. Though asbestos use predates the Industrial Era by thousands of years, large-scale mining and refining of these naturally-occurring minerals began during the industrialization of Western Europe and the U.S.
It peaked during World War II and the immediate postwar period, with demand driven by the nation’s need for ships, planes, vehicles, electronics equipment and chemical products. Asbestos containing materials can be found in the factories and other manufacturing facilities as well as in the products themselves.
Newark was a major shipbuilding center when it was more industrialized Many ships and watercraft were built in Newark, especially at the Federal Shipyard and the Federal Shipbuilding & Dockyard Co. To prevent damage from fire, ships were insulated thoroughly in every compartment and component.
In addition, cars and other motor vehicles built by Newark automakers were fitted with brake pads and clutches that contained asbestos. It’s also present in transportation facilities. One of the largest Newark worksites with asbestos contamination is Newark-Liberty Airport. Built in the 1920s, Newark-Liberty is the oldest airport in the New York-Newark Metropolitan Area and has been expanded and updated over the past 80 years, yet . Asbestos insulation and other materials were used in various hangars between 1948 and the early 1970s.
As a result, thousands of transportation workers, shipbuilders, and military personnel in Newark were exposed to asbestos for prolonged periods. Many of these workers have been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma and now undergo mesothelioma treatment in an attempt to battle the disease.
Numerous Newark buildings contain asbestos, especially those built before the 1970s. Asbestos was used in roofing materials, steam pipes, flooring, electrical wiring, and insulation. For example, asbestos materials were used to build the Colonnade Apartments in the 1960s.
In addition, several homes built during the post-World War II housing boom contain various materials containing asbestos. As with apartment buildings, asbestos was used in the insulation, flooring, wiring, and roofing on numerous single-family homes.
Keep in mind that asbestos found in apartments and single family homes in Newark typically aren’t harmful to humans if left undisturbed. However, the fibers can become a health hazard if stirred into the air by sawing, tearing down walls, and replacing insulation.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) urges homeowners to hire a professional asbestos inspector with an EPA certification to determine if materials containing asbestos are present in their property. For information on asbestos inspectors in your area, contact the DEP’s Asbestos Waste and Disposal at 609-984-6985.
Remember to fill out our from to get your free Financial Compensation Packet, with information on leading asbestos and mesothelioma lawyers in your area. For questions and assistance, feel free to contact us at 800-793-4540.