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St. Paul - Asbestos & Mesothelioma Resources

St. Paul is the capital of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. It is located on the Mississippi's north bank, downstream from the river's confluence with the Minnesota River. Minneapolis and St. Paul are adjacent to each other and are known as the "Twin Cities." St. Paul was officially incorporated as the capitol of the Minnesota Territory in 1849. Today, the city's economy depends on industry and the service sector. Several major corporations, including Traveler's Insurance, are based in St. Paul. In 2007, St. Paul was the nation's 67th largest city with a population of 277,251.

Concern about asbestos in St. Paul has centered on the industrial sector, including the oil industry. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was widely used in industry prior the early 1980s. Inhaling asbestos dust can lead to asbestosis (a chronic, disabling lung disease) and mesothelioma (a rare cancer almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure). It can also lead to other health problems, including other forms of cancer. If you suspect you have been exposed to asbestos, consult a physician specializing in asbestos-related diseases. Early detection of asbestos-related disease can lead to more effective treatment.

Statistical Data

According to data compiled the Environmental Working Group from statistics collected by the Centers for Disease Control, Minnesota ranks 18th among the states in terms of asbestos-related deaths. At least 668 people have died in Minnesota since 1979 of asbestos-related illnesses.

County	Asbestosis	Mesothelioma	Meso High	Total
Ramsey	41	41	67	80-106
Anoka	7	15	26	22-33
Washington	8	11	20	19-28
Dakota	15	24	37	39-52
Hennepin	49	99	165	144-210

** The government did not begin tracking mesothelioma separately as a cause of death until 1998. When they did, the mortality rate nationwide for deaths from mesothelioma more than doubled. The lower number in each range represents an estimated mortality rate based on asbestos cancers that were thought to be mesothelioma. The higher range reflects the mesothelioma rate if one assumes that the incidence during earlier years was actually twice that reflected by government statistics.

Historical Asbestos Exposure Sites

Automotive Plants

Twin Cities Assembly Plant - Opened by Ford Motor in 1924, the Twin Cities Assembly Plant is the nation's oldest automotive assembly plant in continuous operation. There was some concern that the plant would close in 2006, but Ford finally decided to close it in 2008.

Asbestos issues in the automotive industry have centered on brakes and clutches. Numerous brake and clutch products on the U.S. market still contain asbestos, as the toxic mineral has not been banned in the United States. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency have issued guidelines for cleaning and otherwise handling brakes and clutches.

Automotive assembly workers may be at risk for asbestos exposure if their work involves the disturbance asbestos-containing materials. Following appropriate safety procedures can help reduce this risk.

Military Plants

Naval Industrial Reserve Ordinance Plant - The Naval Industrial Reserve Ordinance Plant is located in the northern corner of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, just outside of Fridley. The plant was established during the 1940s to supply the Navy with ordinance. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry has conducted a thorough investigation of the site.

Asbestos-contaminated siding was found in 12 cubic feet of soil at the site, but while many toxic chemicals were found throughout the site, asbestos was not a significant problem. Asbestos at the Naval Industrial Reserve Ordinance Plant would have been a health risk for workers who worked directly with the hazardous mineral; the ATSDR does not consider asbestos exposure to be a significant current threat at the site.

Oil Refineries

Ashland Oil - The Ashland Oil Refinery is approximately ten miles southeast of Minneapolis-St Paul. It was built by the Northwestern Refinery Company in the late 1930s and sold to Ashland Petroleum in 1970.

Asbestos was used extensively at the Ashland site, as it was in refineries across the country. Prior to federal asbestos regulations of the 1980s, workers in oil refineries were subject to asbestos exposure. Asbestos is not considered dangerous when it is in a non-friable state; however, non-friable asbestos can become friable with age or damage.

Asbestos used in machinery at refineries and other industrial sites was subject to much wear and tear, which frequently caused it to become friable. Refinery workers whose jobs required them to directly handle asbestos were at greatest risk of exposure.

Power Plants

Northern States Power Company - Electric power was supplied to St. Paul for many years by the Northern States Power Company, which is now a division of Xcel Energy. Like power companies across the nation, Northern States used asbestos extensively in its power plants. Asbestos was used in machine parts, such as gaskets, and to cover pipes and conduits.

People who worked in St. Paul power plants prior to the mid-1980s were likely exposed to asbestos. Today, most power plants across the nation have conducted asbestos abatement programs by covering asbestos that could not be removed. Asbestos is considered safe if it is covered over so that it cannot release hazardous dust into the air.

Vermiculite Processing Plants

Western Minerals Plant (W.R. Grace and Company plant) - The Western Minerals Plant in Minneapolis processed vermiculite ore from the Libby Montana mines from 1937 to 1989. The plant was originally owned by Western Minerals and was then bought by Zonolite; Zonolite later sold the facility to W.R. Grace and Company, the owner of the Libby mines. The plant processed thousands of tons of Libby vermiculite ore, which was made into vermiculite insulation. It was later released that vermiculite from Libby contained various forms of asbestos.

Vermiculite was processed around the clock, every weekday at Western Minerals. Dust from the ore routinely spread throughout the factory, even into the lunch room. In the 1970s, it was found that the dust levels exceeded the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's standards. People in the neighborhood surrounding the plant frequently took crushed, left-over asbestos-containing vermiculite to use in their gardens. In addition, the families of plant employees may have been exposed to asbestos dust transported home on the workers' hair, clothing, and shoes.

Existing Asbestos Exposure Hazards

Like so many communities throughout the nation, St. Paul still has numerous older buildings in which asbestos could be a problem. Asbestos-containing materials are an exposure risk if they can produce dust; flaking paint and plaster which contain asbestos can be a problem, as can exposed asbestos insulation.

If you suspect a building you own contains asbestos, consult a licensed asbestos abatement expert before you decide to remove the potential hazard. When asbestos-containing-materials are in good condition it may be better to leave them in place, rather than attempting to remove them. Asbestos can create an exposure hazard if it is removed improperly. It should only be removed by workers trained in asbestos removal, wearing proper protective gear. Consult your local or state board of health or environmental quality for information on local asbestos removal regulations. Failure to follow regulations can lead to serious health hazards and fines.

Asbestos in the News

In September 2008, the EPA began testing for asbestos inside some Minneapolis homes. The homes were near the former W.R. Grace and Company vermiculite processing plant (originally called the Western Minerals Plant). The plant processed asbestos-containing vermiculite from the Libby, Montana mine between 1937 and 1989. EPA officials are concerned that the soil around the plant may have been contaminated and that some of the asbestos-containing vermiculite may have gotten into houses near the plant. The agency previously tested the soil around the homes.

Regulations and Regulatory Agencies

Office of Public Affairs
Occupation Safety and Health Administration
U.S. Department of Labor
200 Constitution Avenue, NW.
Washington, DC 20210
(202) 693-1999
1-800-321-6742 (1-800-321-OSHA)

For information on the health effects of asbestos and for information on asbestos testing contact:

Information Resources Branch
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
Robert A. Taft Laboratories
Mailstop C-18
4676 Columbia Parkway
Cincinnati, OH 45226-1998
1-800-356-4674 (1800-35-NIOSH)
eidtechinfo@cdc.gov

Treatment Centers

The University of Minnesota - Masonic Cancer center has been designated by the National Cancer Institute as a comprehensive cancer center.

University of Minnesota - Masonic Cancer Center
424 Harvard Street S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455
(612) 624-2620

Virginia Piper Cancer Institute
800 East 28th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55407
(612) 863-4633

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