Arkansas Asbestos-Related Deaths from 1999-2017

299
Mesothelioma Deaths
114
Asbestosis Deaths
413
Total Deaths

Asbestos Exposure in Arkansas

Occupational exposure to asbestos exists in several industries and workplaces in Arkansas, including paper mills, cement plants, nuclear power plants, oil processing facilities, and chemical plants.

Manufacturing and Asbestos Exposure

Several manufacturing facilities in Arkansas used asbestos materials in their manufacturing processes. Metal and aluminum processing facilities used asbestos to insulate during the smelting process. The Mountain Pine Pressure Treating facility was flagged by the EPA in the late 1990s because of asbestos contamination found in large tanks and in the buildings. The location was later cleared by the EPA after an extensive cleanup effort that took several years.

Power Plants and Oil Refineries

Power plants in Arkansas frequently used asbestos because of its resistance to heat and electricity. Workers in these power plants may have been exposed to hazardous asbestos fibers while operating and repairing asbestos insulated machinery. Arkansas does not have many oil refineries, but several of the oil refineries operating in Arkansas did use asbestos materials.

Asbestos in Buildings

Many older buildings in Arkansas were constructed with asbestos-containing materials making remodeling or repairs dangerous for construction or maintenance workers. When asbestos-containing materials are disturbed, asbestos fibers are released into the air and can be inhaled by nearby individuals. Inhaling toxic asbestos fibers can result in the development of deadly asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer.

Vermiculite and Asbestos

Arkansas was one of several states that received asbestos-contaminated vermiculite from Libby, Montana. The majority of this vermiculite went to North Little Rock. Workers in these vermiculite processing plants were likely exposed to toxic asbestos fibers.

Partial list of work sites in Arkansas with known asbestos exposure
  • Abemarle “Magnolia South” Chemical Plant
  • Aerojet Rocketdyne Aircraft Plant
  • Air Liquide Chemical Plant
  • ALCOA Aluminum Plant
  • Amfuel Chemical Plant
  • Arkansas Ordnance Plant
  • Arkansas Power & Light Harvey Couch Power Plant
  • Arkansas Power Nuclear Power Plant
  • Ash Grove Cement Plant
  • Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) Plant
  • Bentonville School District No. 6
  • Blandin Paper Mill
  • Bradley-Potlatch Paper Mill
  • Bush Brothers Cannery
  • Campbell’s Soup Plant
  • Cecil Lynch Steam Plant
  • Clearwater Paper Mill
  • Cooper Tire & Rubber Company
  • Coosa River-Kimberly Clark Paper Mill
  • Crossett-Georgia Pacific-Koch Paper Mill
  • Derrick Paper Mill
  • Dierks Paper and Pulp Mill
  • Domtar Ashdown Paper Mill
  • Dravo Steel Mill
  • Ethyl Plant
  • Flint Creek Steam Plant
  • Foreman Cement Plant
  • Fort Smith Dixie Cup Plant
  • Georgia-Pacific Chemical Plant
  • Great Lakes-Chemtura-Lanxess Bromine Plant
  • Green Bay-Kraft Packaging Plant
  • Ideal Cement Plant
  • International Paper Mill in Pine Bluff
  • International Paper Mill in Conway
  • International Paper Mill in Sheridan
  • International Paper Mill in Leola
  • International Paper Mill in Fort Smith
  • International Paper Mill in Little Rock
  • Jonesboro City Hall building
  • Lion-Ergon-Delek Oil Refinery
  • Little Rock Air Force Base
  • Lockheed Martin Aerospace Plant
  • Martin Lubricants-Cross Oil Refinery
  • Maumelle Ordnance Works
  • Monsanto Chemical Plant
  • Mountain Pine Pressure Treating Mill
  • Nekoosa Edwards Paper Mill
  • Olin Mathieson Chemical Plant
  • Ozark Ordnance Works
  • Pine Bluff Arsenal
  • Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Plant
  • Reynolds Metals “Jones Mills” Reduction Plant
  • Reynolds Metals Aluminum & Ceramics Plant
  • Riceland Foods Plant
  • Russellville Nuclear Power Plant
  • Shumaker Naval Ammunition Depot
  • Sparks Medical Center
  • Stuttgart Hospital
  • Southern-Potlatch Paper Mill
  • Southwestern Proving Ground
  • Twin Rivers Paper Mill
  • University of Arkansas
  • Veterans’ Administration Hospital

Statute of Limitations to File Mesothelioma Claim in Arkansas

There is a limited amount of time to file a lawsuit for mesothelioma that varies for each state called the statute of limitations. This means if you do not file within the time limit, you will never be able to pursue legal action or obtain compensation. It’s important that you take legal action within this time frame so you do not miss out on receiving the compensation you may deserve. Contact us here to learn more about how we can help.

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What is mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a deadly and rare form of malignant cancer that is caused by asbestos exposure. The most common forms of mesothelioma are: pleural and peritoneal. Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer that affects the lining of the lungs and peritoneal mesothelioma is a cancer that affects the lining of the abdominal cavity.

Victims with pleural mesothelioma may have respiratory symptoms, such as coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, and fatigue. Victims with peritoneal mesothelioma may have abdominal swelling, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and weight loss.

The latency period for mesothelioma is very long. The average latency period is about 30 years, but can be shorter than 15 years or longer than 40 years. This means individuals with mesothelioma may take decades to present symptoms from the time they were exposed to asbestos.

What is asbestosis?

Asbestosis is a chronic lung disease caused by asbestos exposure. When asbestos is inhaled the fibers irritate and scar the lining of the lungs, making it difficult to breathe. The lungs become stiff and cannot expand and contract normally. Symptoms of asbestosis are shortness of breath, chest pain, and a dry, persistent cough. Like mesothelioma, the latency period for asbestosis is very long. Symptoms may not present for 10 to 40 years after asbestos exposure.

Military Asbestos Exposure

It is extremely important to know that our attorneys do not sue the military. We seek accountability from the asbestos companies that sold dangerous asbestos products to the military.

Members of all branches of the military may have been exposed to asbestos before it became more restricted in the 1970s. The U.S. military used asbestos products in many areas because of its low cost, durability, and heat resistant properties. The common use of these asbestos products put many U.S. veterans at risk of developing asbestos related diseases, such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer. Below is a list of the military branches and common asbestos exposure sites:

  • Navy – shipyards, boiler rooms, submarines
  • Army – barracks, shipyards, construction
  • Marine Corps – armored vehicles, barracks, ships, aircraft
  • Coast Guard – inside ships, ships, boiler rooms
  • Air Force- bases, airplanes, jets, aircraft maintenance