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Vermont and asbestos have been connected for many years. Below, our experienced mesothelioma lawyers have important information to share with you about where you may have been exposed to asbestos near Essex, Vermont. Contact us to schedule a free consultation.
Mining in Vermont and the Risk of Mesothelioma From Asbestos Exposure
Vermont mining plays a critical role in the history of asbestos. The first commercial asbestos mine in the United States was established in Vermont. Asbestos was first discovered in 1823 on Belvidere Mountain. Two mines had been established on the mountain before the turn of the century about an hour away from Essex, Vermont. By 1929, these mines were supplying the entire United States with most of its supply of asbestos. The New England Asbestos Mining and Milling Company and Vermont Product Corporation owned the mines at various points in history. In the 1970s, the Vermont Asbestos Group purchased the mine despite health concerns regarding asbestos at the time. It continued operations until 1993, making them the last mines to close in the United States. Workers at these companies could have been exposed to asbestos as they mined, processed asbestos or transported it. Additionally, many contaminated materials remained at the site after closure. The 1,500 acre area contained more than 30 tons of debris contaminated with asbestos. In 2004, the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources conducted an investigation into the mines due to environmental concerns.
Another potential source of exposure in Vermont occurred when contaminated vermiculite from notorious Libby, Montana was shipped to a processing plant in Morrisville, Vermont. Plant workers could have been exposed to asbestos when they turned these materials into attic insulation and other products.
Essex Vermont Asbestos Litigation
In 2008, the Vermont Attorney General’s Office filed a lawsuit against the Vermont Asbestos Group to clean up the old mine sites, which it estimated would cost $200 million. The parties eventually reached a settlement in which the Vermont Asbestos Group agreed to pay $3.5 million to cover the costs of pollution controls and decontamination. It also agreed to pay $50,000 for ten years for security and erosion management at the location.
In March 2008, a Vermont real estate developer and contractor was found to have failed to properly conduct an inspection for asbestos or notify the Environmental Protection Agency before they demolished buildings in Essex Junction. They agreed to pay $15,000 in fines for these violations, but their employees could have been exposed to deadly asbestos.
