Asbestos in Vermont
Vermont Asbestos
Vermont is one of the first states to have commercial mining of asbestos. This began in 1889 by the New England Asbestos Mining and Milling Company. The mine was located on Mount Belvedere and operated for less than four years before being temporarily closed. Once the mine reopened, the company began supplying asbestos all across the United States. The company remained one of the longest operating manufacturer of asbestos in the U.S. and was shut down in 1993.
Jobs with Asbestos Exposure
Power plants in Vermont utilized asbestos materials heavily to provide its pipelines with the protective insulation. Power plants in Vermont are constantly running to generate electrical power for the surrounding homes and businesses. The pipelines in the power plants are insulated with asbestos to protect workers from the heat. Asbestos is widely used to insulate power plant pipes due to its resistance to heat and flames.
Many of the workers wore fireproof gloves, aprons and bibs while at work. Majority of these items were made with asbestos fibers. When these garments began to wear and tear, the asbestos fibers are disturbed and release into the air. Once in the air, they are more available and this increases the likelihood of workers’ exposure. Asbestos can cause mesothelioma (cancer of the lung’s lining).
Asbestos-Related Deaths
There have been over 70 fatalities in the state of Vermont since 1980. All these fatalities resulted from asbestos exposure, making Vermont 46th in the nation in asbestos-related cases and 13th in the asbestos mortality rate.
