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DuPont Chemical Plants and Factories

DuPont is currently the world's fourth largest chemical company (in terms of revenue). From its origins as a manufacturer of gunpowder the company has expanded considerably and was heavily involved in the development of synthetic polymers such as nylon and Teflon, as well as refrigerants, paints, and other products.

History of DuPont

DuPont was founded in 1802 by French-born chemist Eleuthere Irenee du Pont. The company was started near Wilmington, Delaware, at the Eleurtherian Mills on the Brandywine Creek. Originally founded as a manufacturer of gunpowder, the company expanded quickly and began supplying the product to the United States military.

The company expanded to produce smokeless powder, dynamite, and similar products. Around one hundred years after its beginnings the company purchased a number of small chemical companies. This action put DuPont under some scrutiny due to concerns about the possibility of a monopoly: the result was that the company was ordered to divest itself of some of the smaller holders.

In the early 1900s DuPont began working on cellulose, lacquers, and other non-explosives. In the 1920s, the company started to investigate polymers, and neoprene, synthetic rubber, nylon, Lucite, and Teflon were all discovered by DuPont researchers before World War II. In 1935, the company also discovered the insecticide phenothiazine.

During WWII DuPont became a major producer of war supplies, and was also heavily involved in the Manhattan Project, designing, building, and operating the Hanford Plutonium Plant and the Savannah River Plant.

After the war, DuPont continued to develop new synthetic materials, including Dacron and Lycra, as well as many others. Such synthetic materials have been important in the development of modern body armor-the company was responsible for the discovery of Kevlar.

Currently, DuPont's activities are organized into five categories: Agriculture and Nutrition, Coatings and Color Technologies, Electronic and Communication Technologies, Performance Materials, and Safety and Protection.

Asbestos Use at DuPont Plants and Factories

DuPont did not manufacture asbestos products; however, asbestos-containing materials were used in DuPont facilities because of the substance's heat resistance and chemical inertness. The chemical and physical properties of asbestos made it very useful in chemical laboratories and other industrial chemical-producing facilities, for use on bench and counter tops, certain types of lab equipment (such as Bunsen burner pads), and ironically for protective heat and chemical-resistant clothing.

Much of the asbestos used in these ways in chemical plants was chrysotile asbestos. Many companies claimed that this type of asbestos was harmless; unfortunately this is not true, and several studies have shown that chrysotile can cause the same cancers that other types of asbestos can, at almost the same rate. Chrysotile asbestos was used in construction products throughout chemical plants, laboratories, and other industrial locations.

This asbestos becomes even more dangerous as it ages, because when asbestos ages it becomes friable. This means the asbestos is more easily broken and crumbled, and is more likely to release tiny airborne inhalable fibers. Many industrial facilities built prior to the 1980s contain asbestos, and as the asbestos used has aged it has become more hazardous for the people who work around it.

DuPont has become an often-named defendant in asbestos-related lawsuits. Some of the company's own internal communications from the 1960s show that DuPont management was aware of the risks of asbestos exposure, but chose to hide that information from its workers and the public.

What Former and Current Workers should Know about Asbestos

The use of protective clothing and equipment is crucial when working with or around asbestos, particularly when there is a danger of asbestos fibers becoming airborne. The inhalation of asbestos dust can cause serious and deadly diseases such as mesothelioma cancer and asbestosis, as well as other types of cancers.

Asbestosis is a debilitating lung disease that develops as a result of long-term or heavy asbestos exposure. This disease is caused by chronic lung inflammation (which in turn is caused by inhalation of asbestos) that eventually leads to the development of scar tissue. People who develop this scar tissue experience reduced lung function and difficulty and pain when breathing. The progression of the disease can be halted if asbestos exposure ceases, but the damage done to the lungs is irreversible.

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that can develop after relatively small amounts of asbestos exposure. This cancer generally develops in the pleural lining of the lungs, but around 30% of cases develop in the lining of the abdominal cavity or heart. All mesothelioma cancers are difficult to diagnose and treat, and people diagnosed with mesothelioma tend to have a very poor prognosis.

Another important fact about mesothelioma is that it has a long latency period. Even if you were exposed to asbestos two or more decades ago and you haven't been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, this is still no guarantee you'll never develop one. If you suspect asbestos exposure might have occurred while you were employed at DuPont, regular health check-ups are important to detect early symptoms.

If you are diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, consider seeking legal advice as well as medical treatment, as you may be able to win compensation to cover the costs of treatment and other factors such as lost income.

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