Florida Asbestos Exposure Sites

Regions or localities within Florida where there is a high chance or likelihood of persons coming into contact with asbestos and asbestos-related compounds are called asbestos exposure sites in Florida.

Asbestos minerals come from metamorphic rocks. It is a naturally occurring compound occurring in a group of six heat-resistant, fire-resistant, fibrous, silicate non-conductor materials. Before the enactment of Florida’s mesothelioma and asbestos laws, they were commonly used in commercial and industrial applications. However, when consumed or inhaled, this mineral compound causes scarring and inflammation in the mesothelium (the protective membrane covering the lungs, abdomen, heart, and testes). Asbestos fibers are microscopic, do not dissolve or evaporate in water, and are odorless and tasteless.

Naturally, asbestos does not exist in Florida. However, businesses imported shipments and transported them to various construction and manufacturing sites. These sites, in turn, commercially distributed the product to the market, where other companies later used the asbestos industrially.

How Does Asbestos Exposure Happen in Florida?

In Florida, asbestos exposure could result in three ways: occupational exposure, para-occupational or secondary exposure, and non-occupational exposure. Occupational exposure takes place when people are exposed to the asbestos compound due to the nature of their jobs. Para occupational exposure happens when someone exposed to asbestos from their work exposes another person. For example, people exposed to asbestos at work may bring the fibers home on their clothes, thereby exposing their family members. Non-occupational exposure is when it happens to a person outside of their work environment. For instance, if a person moves into a building constructed with asbestos-containing materials.

Asbestos exposure in Florida happens when tiny asbestos fibers are carried in the air. An already constructed material like a ceiling, roof, tile, building, etc., made with asbestos hardly poses a health risk. However, when these materials are disturbed during excavation, demolition, breaking, burning, crushing, scraping, etc., the asbestos in these structures is broken down into microscopic fibers. It gets released into the air, where it can stay airborne for several hours. Anyone within its vicinity is at risk of swallowing or inhaling it. Suppose the asbestos dust has settled but is not appropriately cleared from the area. In that case, slight disturbances may still cause the particles to be airborne again because they are very light. When these airborne asbestos fibers are inhaled nasally or ingested orally or otherwise, they become trapped in the lungs and other organs over time.

Where Does Asbestos Exposure Occur in Florida?

Because of its valuable properties like fire resistance, significant quantities of asbestos were shipped to Florida for use in construction, manufacturing, and processing. Records show that at least 109,949 tons of asbestos were shipped from Montana to five major cities in Florida: Boca Raton, Tampa, Pompano Beach, Jacksonville, and St. Petersburg. The primary locations in Florida where asbestos exposure or contamination happens include shipyards, power plants, agricultural processing industries, oil drilling operations, military bases, chemical plants, auto repair shops, etc.

Shipyards: Shipyard locations in Florida linked with previous cases of asbestos exposure include: Atlantic Dry Dock and Bellinger Shipyard both located in Jacksonville; Gulf Marine Repair, Hendry Corporation, and Hooker’s Point Yard, all located in Tampa; Offshore Shipbuilding situated in Panama; etc.
Power plants: Because of its insulating property, power generation facilities used asbestos for heat and electricity insulation. In Florida, some power plants with documented cases of asbestos contamination incidents include Crist Power Plant in Pensacola, St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant in St. Lucie, U.S. Sugar and Vero Beach Municipal Power Plant in Vero Beach, Port Everglade Power Plant of Florida Power and Light (FPL), and others in Juno Beach in Palm Beach County.

Others include Anclote Power Plant, Big Bend Power plant, Blackpoint Power House, Cape C. Fort Pierce Municipal Power Plant, Cutler Ridge Power Plant in Miami-Dade, Fort Lauderdale Electric Company, and Fort Myers Power Plant, Gannon Power Plant, etc.

Agricultural processing: Some companies like the U.S. Sugar, Florida Cane Products, the Atlantic Sugar Association, and the Florida Sugar Corporation all have locations where known asbestos exposure occurred.
Mining operations and chemical plants: Mulberry Phosphate Mine, Ameristeel, Jacksonville Chemical Plant and PetroChemical Products, etc.
Military: Some military locations with asbestos exposure include Naval air station in Jacksonville, Naval Air Station Key West, Pensacola Naval Air Station, Whiting Field Naval Air Station, Mayport Naval Station, Naval Support Activity Panama City, and The United States Southern Command located in Doral, Florida.
Old residential and commercial buildings: Asbestos was previously identified in residences and commercial centers, including Florida State University (FSU), The Kennedy Space Center located on Merritt Island in Brevard County, Eustis Housing Project, Jacksonville Grammar School, etc.

Who is at Risk of Asbestos Exposure in Florida?

Presently, the people most at risk of asbestos exposure in Florida are those whose jobs or occupations require them to work in sites where it was or is still regularly used. Such disciplines include shipyard workers, construction and demolition workers (especially those dealing with old buildings), drywall removers, asbestos removal workers, textile mill workers, asbestos-processing plant workers, power plant workers, industrial workers, navy veterans, firefighters, and military veterans who served before the 1980s. It also includes disaster cleanup crew who have to deal with water damage (water can break down and expose asbestos in insulation, cement, etc.).

In addition, other people who are at risk of asbestos exposure in Florida are those whose family member(s) occupation exposes them to asbestos (secondary exposure). Some particles might be left on their clothing and other personal items when they return home, thus exposing the members of their household to asbestos.

Furthermore, Florida residents who live or work in old buildings or structures may also be exposed. Before the 1980s, most building structures and materials contained asbestos because of their strength and fireproof nature. Hence, water damage and other types of damage that cause weathering in old buildings should be avoided because they can expose the building’s asbestos-containing cement and insulation, thereby putting residents at risk.

How Much Asbestos Exposure Causes Mesothelioma?

Being exposed to asbestos can result in many illnesses, one of which is mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a severe and deadly form of cancer, with its root cause traceable to asbestos exposure. After the initial causative asbestos exposure, it could take around 20 to 70 years for the mesothelioma to manifest. Most mesothelioma patients don't usually survive beyond 12 months after diagnosis.

There is no amount of asbestos inhalation or ingestion that can be said to be safe. Still, the latter is more at risk between a person slightly exposed to asbestos over a short time and another person with regular long-term (or accumulated short-term) exposure. Note that inhaling a substantial quantity (or cloud) of asbestos dust, even short-term, has a similar risk as regular long-term exposure.

The factors that influence the tendency of a person to develop mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos include the accumulated length of time of exposure, amount of particles inhaled, gender, age, lifestyle, health status, family history, genetics (BAP-1 gene), and the type of asbestos inhaled.

Asbestos Exposure Symptoms

Asbestos exposure is a direct cause of various illnesses. Some are non-cancerous, while others are cancers. The symptoms that a person exposed to asbestos exhibits will vary based on the disease they have developed due to the exposure.

Some common signs that may show up in persons exposed to asbestos include:

Chest or abdominal pain
Intense pain and difficulty in breathing and swallowing
Non-stop coughing that keeps deteriorating
Coughing up bloody phlegm from the lungs
Prolonged hoarseness
Sudden weight loss
Loss of appetite
Swelling of the neck or face.

While some of these symptoms are observable by mere physical observation, others are confirmable after a thorough physical examination and other necessary tests. It is advisable for persons who display any of these symptoms to see a doctor, especially if such persons suspect previous asbestos exposure.

Asbestos Exposure From Products

During the prevalent use of asbestos around the United States from around the late 1800s to the late 1900s, states like Florida, which had no asbestos deposit, imported tons of the mineral from other areas to use for their processing and manufacturing. Presently, Florida restricts the use of Regulated Asbestos-Containing Materials (RACM. Also, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) put a partial ban on some categories of items, according to their 2019 final rule.

Presently, some commercially available materials that may contain asbestos include:

Automotive products: Brake linings, brake pads, clutch plates, gaskets, etc.
Ceilings products: Ceiling panels, ceiling texture (Popcorn texture), ceiling tiles, mosaic tiles and so on.
Cement-asbestos board (Transite) products: Siding, chimney flue lining, ducts, pipes, shingles, wall panels, etc.
Chalkboards
Electrical products: Cloth wire insulation, breakers, panel arc chutes, insulating cloth, partitions, and so on.
Fire protection products: Blankets, fire curtains, spray-on fireproofing, and fire doors.
Heating and cooling system products: cooling towers, boiler insulation, boiler breeching insulation, ductwork insulation, HVAC vibration dampeners, etc.
Flooring products: Asphalt floor tiles, carpet mastic, coving mastic, floor tile mastic, vapor barriers, vinyl floor tiles, vinyl sheet flooring (linoleum), etc.
Laboratory products: Heat-resistant gloves, laboratory hoods, laboratory tables and countertops, paints and coatings, roofing products, base flashing, felt, shingles, etc.
Table pads
Wall products: Decorative plaster, caulking, putties, spackling compounds, vinyl wall coverings, etc.
Window glazing
Vermiculite: Attic insulation, fireplace decoration, gardening products, and Wall insulation.

Some other products that may contain asbestos are baby powder, talcum powder products, bottle warmers, gloves and mittens, ashtray covers, cigarette filters, coasters, coffee pots, crayons, curling irons, dishwashers, dryers, fake snow, fertilizer, heaters, ironing boards and blankets, makeup, ovens, paint, plastics, popcorn poppers, potting soil, cookers, stoves, stove mats, toasters, toys, and washing machines.

Occupational Asbestos Exposure in Florida

Occupational asbestos exposure happens when persons are exposed to the compound because their jobs require them to work with or around asbestos. Occupational exposure is named the chief cause of asbestos exposure. According to The Center for Disease Control, in The United States, most occupational asbestos exposures occur during the removal, repair, renovation, or maintenance of asbestos-containing structures installed years ago. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reckons that around 1.3 million employees, especially in the construction and general industry, are occupationally exposed to asbestos. Also, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry estimates that around 27 million employees exposed to asbestos between 1940 and 1979 might develop asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma.

To protect the workers in asbestos-related fields, the government created agencies like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). These agencies make and enforce laws and regulations, mandating employers to provide safe working conditions, proper training, and safety equipment to workers. For example, the Environmental Protection Agency enacted the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act, better known as AHERA, to regulate asbestos in learning institutions.

Persons who worry about asbestos exposure at their job may anonymously file complaints with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration or with the Mine Safety and Health Administration or file claims according to Florida's statutes.

Florida Environmental Asbestos Exposure

The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) came up with four types of environmental asbestos exposure.

Para-occupational exposure: Research carried out by the National Center for Biotechnology Information showed that washing, cleaning, or dusting contaminated clothes or vehicles used by an exposed person is risky. In doing these activities mentioned above, there is a high chance of inhaling the dust particles from those contaminated garments.
Environmental exposure as a result of industrial activities: Other likely victims of environmental asbestos exposure are the residents of communities in areas where asbestos is extracted, processed, or used industrially. These exposures may occur during processing, ventilation, waste disposal, or when using the facility's waste products for roads, soil amendments, etc. For example, In the United States, several communities experienced mesothelioma incidence and mortality due to the operations of an asbestos-contaminated vermiculite material originating from Libby, Montana.
Exposure from asbestos-containing commercial products: There are many products in the market presently made with asbestos used throughout Florida. Breaking, crushing, or other active disturbance of these asbestos-containing products can cause inhalation and subsequent exposure to the asbestos contained therein.
Naturally occurring asbestos and exposure to naturally-occurring asbestos materials: Residents of places with a natural asbestos deposit are at risk of being exposed because of the mining and extraction processes. Also, residents of buildings constructed with asbestos materials are at risk if these sites are disturbed by disasters like fire damage, earthquakes, tornadoes, floodwaters, tsunamis, hurricanes, and whirlwinds.

Asbestos Exposure by Florida County

In alliance with Section 112 of the Clean Air Act (CAA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established the National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants Contacts (NESHAP) to prevent the release of exposure to toxic airborne compounds like asbestos fibers outside into the air during demolition or renovation activities.

Hence, Florida building owners or controllers are to notify the applicable Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) district office in their county before demolition or renovations of buildings containing a certain threshold amount of asbestos Asbestos-Containing Materials as stated under Chapter 62- 257.

The different counties and their District Air Compliance Contacts are as follows:

Central: Brevard, Lake, Marion, Orange County, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia counties.

Northeast: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Suwannee, Taylor, and Union counties.

Northwest: Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington counties.

South: Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Lee, Monroe, and Sarasota Counties.

Southeast: Broward County, Miami-Dade County, Martin, Indian River, Okeechobee, Palm Beach County, and St. Lucie county.

Southwest: Citrus, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough County, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas County, and Polk.

Florida Counties with the Most Naturally Occurring Asbestos

Florida does not have any Naturally Occurring Asbestos (NOA) deposit. Ironically, Florida has the second-highest number of Asbestos-related deaths in The United States. One primary reason for the high amount of asbestos in the state is the vast coastline. Thanks to its enormous coastline, Florida is a crucial center for shipbuilding, manufacturing, and other industrial activities. Hence, many companies shipped large quantities of raw asbestos from other mining states to sites across Florida. Added to other asbestos-containing materials and products distributed to other industries and markets, asbestos dispersed into various locations and counties within the state.

Furthermore, in 1881, a mining site for Vermiculite, a mineral compound in Libby, Montana, a superfund site, contained a large deposit of asbestos.

In Florida, the counties with the highest asbestos-related illness and death have many shipyards, construction, and manufacturing plants. They are:

Palm Beach

Palm Beach has no naturally occurring asbestos (NOA). But, many people who worked in industries like construction, military, shipbuilding, etc., where they were exposed to asbestos, retired to Palm beach. Between 1999 and 2017, Palm beach recorded 1 545 asbestos-related deaths.

Pinellas County

Pinellas county has a lot of buildings and structures constructed with asbestos. So, the Pinellas County Air Quality Division and other state health agencies established regulations for building renovation and demolition activities.

Broward County

Another county where asbestos was widely used and exposed is Broward county. Despite efforts to remove all the asbestos in the county around 1978 and 1979, more asbestos was still discovered in 1983 in Pompano Beach.

Miami-Dade County

Many structures in Miami-Dade, having experienced wear and aging, have become toxic for residents in recent times. Most common is the Miami-Dade County Courthouse.

Volusia County

Volusia County, like the others, is one of the top five most exposed counties to asbestos in the state.

Florida Asbestos Mines and Environmental Risks

There are no asbestos mines in Florida because asbestos does not naturally occur in Florida. Still, significant environmental risks arise from the already existing structures. Hence, residents should take the necessary precautions and follow the set-down guidelines for demolitions and renovations of old structures.

In addition, first responders and other workers who have to deal with asbestos-contaminated areas, objects, or structures should use proper protective equipment and apply necessary caution. And if unsure about the safety of a building, it is best to call in the experts to check it.

Florida Public Building with Documented Asbestos

A public building, as identified in Florida code section ss. 876.11-876.21 and 255.0992.1b includes every building that the government, public authority, or other political subdivision owns, leases, operates or maintains in part or whole. These include schools, libraries, government buildings, community centers, public housing, courts, restrooms in parks, and other buildings that fit the description.

Some public buildings with documented cases of asbestos exposure in the past include the Eustis Housing project in Lake County, the Miami-Dade county courthouse, some public schools in Virginia Beach, Jackson county courthouse, Florida State University (FSU), and some military and naval bases including Pensacola Navy yard and National Aeronautical and Space Administration station (Kennedy Center) in Florida’s East Coast.

Florida Firefighter Asbestos Exposure

A 2013 research by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration showed that firefighters are twice as likely to develop asbestos-related cancers.

In their line of work, Florida firefighters are at risk of asbestos exposure for many reasons and from many sources, including:

Broken down Asbestos-Containing Materials: When a building is burning, the old asbestos-containing materials within its structure become friable. They can release an intense concentration of asbestos, putting the firefighters at risk if they are not using the proper safety gear. These severe short-term exposures accumulate and put the firefighters at risk of mesothelioma and other respiratory illnesses and cancers.
Protective Gear: Sometimes, asbestos is woven into firefighting gear and clothing to make them fireproof. Some of these gears include fire suits, fire blankets, and boots.

Florida Veterans' Asbestos Exposure

Former military members and servicemen who served from around the early 1900s to around the 1980s are at risk of asbestos-related health issues as a result of asbestos exposure both at home and abroad. Many Florida veterans who had asbestos exposure during the Korean War and those who experienced exposure to asbestos during the Vietnam war were later diagnosed with asbestos-related illnesses including mesothelioma.

Also, military bases are very prone to exposure. A May 2020 report by the United States Defense Department's Inspector General disclosed that around 38,000 military housing units in the United States and abroad still contain hazardous substances including asbestos.

Among all servicemen, Navy veterans are most likely to have asbestos exposure. The reason is that many naval bases were built before the regulations on asbestos. Hence, service members stationed in Florida who worked as boiler men, hull technicians, pipefitters, aviation engineers, etc., were exposed.

The United States Department of Veteran Affairs gave some guidelines and benefits for veterans who suspect that they have had previous asbestos exposure.

Non-Cancerous Conditions Caused by Asbestos Exposure in Florida

When people inhale airborne asbestos fibers, these tiny particles settle in the lungs and cause scarring and other diseases. Asbestos exposure can cause various cancers and some non-cancerous illnesses too. Some non-cancerous conditions that one may acquire from continuous or prolonged inhalation of asbestos fibers include:

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): This is a complication in the lungs that may arise due to asbestos exposure. People who develop Chronic Pulmonary Lung disease (COPD) will, over time, experience difficulty in breathing. The life expectancy for a diagnosed patient can be between 12 to 18 years. Some symptoms include shortness of breath, cough, increased phlegm production, rapid heartbeats, and tightness in the chest.
Asbestosis: Asbestosis is an incurable Interstitial Lung Disease. Interstitial lung diseases develop when particles of compounds like asbestos, silica dust, hard dust metals, coal dust, etc., find their way into the lungs. There, they cause scarring, hamper breathing, and may cause permanent damage to the lungs.

Some symptoms of asbestosis include difficulty breathing, coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, enlarged fingers, toes, etc.

Atelectasis: Also called asbestos pseudotumor or Blesovsky syndrome, a person exposed to asbestos may develop this condition. Atelectasis happens when a person's lungs collapse either entirely or partially, leading to severe complications. Symptoms include difficulty in breathing, persistent cough, quick heartbeats, and bluish skin due to low oxygen in the blood.
Pleural plaques: Pleural plaques occur when tissues build up in the lung lining of a person exposed to asbestos. The pleural plaque might take up to 10 to 30 years after exposure to build up. Although pleural plaques do not often require treatment, the sufferers sometimes experience breathlessness, persistent coughs, and pains in the chest area.
Pleural thickening: When a person is exposed to asbestos, scar tissues may develop on the lung's linings (the pleura). The condition is known as pleural thickening. People who suffer from the disease may experience chest pain and difficulty breathing. Pleural thickening may be a sign of a more severe condition like mesothelioma. Pleural thickening is incurable, but proper treatment can manage the symptoms.
Pleural effusion: This is when excessive fluid builds up between the lungs and ribs. Fortunately, the disease is not life-threatening but can cause severe pain, compression of the lungs, and shortness of breath.
Hyaline pleural plaques: These are pleural plaques that are made up of hyaline.
Peritoneal effusion (ascites): Peritoneal effusion occurs when excess fluid buildup occurs in the abdominal region.
Pericardial effusion: When there is excessive fluid buildup in the pericardium (the sac-like structure around the heart), it is a pericardial effusion.
Pleuritis: Pleuritis is a condition that causes swelling of the pleura (the layers of tissue between the lungs and the chest wall). Sufferers will experience sharp pain in their chest, which worsens during breathing.

Asbestos Exposure in Florida: Who is Responsible and How Do I Prove It?

Florida's asbestos and silica compensation fairness act allows employees to claim injury from exposure to asbestos based on established medical criteria. Suppose an employee can prove that they were exposed to asbestos while carrying out their work, leading to injury or death. In that case, they can place the responsibility (or, in legal terms, liability) on the responsible entity e.g their employer. They must file the claim no later than four years from the date of diagnosis. But if the person dies, the family can file a wrongful death lawsuit no later than two years from the death date.

In Florida, the persons responsible are usually the asbestos processing and manufacturing companies, employers that use products containing asbestos, owners of properties contaminated with asbestos, and sometimes, the government.

To file an asbestos-related claim, a person must provide substantial proof that asbestos exposure is the cause of their illness. To prove that an employer (or company) is responsible for asbestos exposure, the victim may claim negligence, strict liability, or they may claim breach of warranty.

Negligence: To claim using the negligence theory, the complainant should bring evidence showing that the other party did not act with reasonable care, thereby exposing them to asbestos. For example, suppose the company did not provide their employees with Personal Protective Equipment despite knowing the risk involved. In that case, the claimant can claim damages based on negligence of duty.
Strict liability: This legal theory imposes liability on the other party, even if they did not act negligently.
Breach of warranty: warranty is an assurance on a product. Suppose the claimant can prove that the product is not what it claims. In that case, they can claim a breach of warranty.

Can Multiple Jobs Be Responsible for Asbestos Exposure?

People who work in more than one job are prone to asbestos exposure and can be exposed to asbestos in all of them. Suppose a person is exposed to asbestos by multiple employers and can provide proof for each claim. In such a case, that person can file a compensation claim for each job responsible.