Before the 1980s, the process of making tires and other rubber products exposed thousands of industrial workers to asbestos. The carcinogenic mineral was an integral component of the materials and equipment used in the process, as well as the environment in which tire and rubber companies’ employees worked. As a result, individuals in all aspects of the industry and their family members have been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, and other asbestos-related diseases.
Tires, Rubber, and Asbestos
Tires for automobiles and planes were invented to address wear and tear on wheels. Though the earliest tires had leather bands wrapped around wooden wheels, leather wore out too quickly. It was soon replaced with metal bands, which also had shortcomings. In response to the need for a better answer to long-distance travel, Charles Goodyear invented a process of heating rubber with sulfur, turning it into a pliable material that was perfect for creating tires. Called vulcanization, the process turned rubber into the material of choice for tires. Though solid rubber tires were replaced with air-filled versions in the mid-1800s, the use of natural and synthetic rubbers continued.[1]
When the rubber tire proved successful and popular, the town fathers of Akron, Ohio, approached Dr. Benjamin Franklin Goodrich, urging him to open his rubber manufacturing company there based on its access to the water necessary for the vulcanization process, its experienced labor pool, and the easy access to high-quality coal from nearby coal mines. After Goodrich, Akron pursued other rubber companies, and the city soon became the “rubber capital of the world.”[2]
In building their tire factories, Goodrich, Goodyear, and others chose to insulate their structures with asbestos, much of which was supplied by the Johns Manville Corporation, and asbestos was also used in much of the manufacturing process.[3] It was used to insulate the pipes that carried corrosive chemicals and steam throughout the plants and was a component of the gaskets used to seal pipes and pumps. It insulated equipment and boilers, and many parts of the equipment used in the manufacturing process were made with asbestos to provide strength and durability. Additionally, in the years that the factories were built, construction materials including floor and ceiling tiles, cement, and wall insulation were commonly made using asbestos for their strength and insulating capabilities.
Beyond the dangers posed by asbestos in the infrastructure in which tire and rubber employees worked, the process of manufacturing tires and other rubber products often involved direct use of asbestos. Industrial talc, which is frequently contaminated with asbestos, was used during the molding process so that finished products could be removed easily, and some companies filled orders for custom rubber mixtures to which raw asbestos was added. The toxic material was used in many of the companies’ manufacturing processes because of the flexibility, strength, and ability to withstand heat, electricity, and water that it added to rubber gaskets, electrical insulation, and tires.
How Tire and Rubber Workers Were Exposed to Asbestos
Tire and rubber workers were exposed to asbestos from both the production of the factory’s products they worked with and the equipment and environment they worked in. The creation of tires and other rubber-based products involved pouring rubber into molds and applying steam to heat it. After this curing process, the rubber would be molded, pressed, or autoclaved, and all of the heat-generating equipment they worked with used asbestos-containing parts. Workers frequently mixed raw asbestos into the rubber or dusted asbestos-containing talc onto the molds or finished products to prevent it from sticking. From mixing and milling to extruding and molding, asbestos fibers were released into the air, where they were inhaled or ingested by workers. Significant numbers of workers in Akron, Ohio were sickened by this exposure.
Additionally, the asbestos that was used to insulate pipes, protect machinery, and construct the building frequently needed to be repaired, maintained, or replaced. Any time that an asbestos-containing product is damaged or worn down by age or use, there is a high probability of it becoming friable and releasing microscopic particles into the air.
When viewed under a microscope, asbestos particles have sharp, pointy ends that are very difficult for the body to expel once they’ve been inhaled or ingested. Once in the body, these toxic fibers can cause cell death and the scarring typical of asbestosis or mutations that grow into the tumors of malignant mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancer.
Because asbestos was present in both the manufacturing process and the structures of tire and rubber factories, it was almost impossible for any staff member to avoid exposure – even administrative staff were at risk simply from walking through the building. The tire and rubber workers who were most at risk included:
- Factory workers
- General laborers
- Mixing operators
- Packers
- Mold operators
- Production line operators and supervisors
- Retread tire technicians
- Tire builders
- Tire cord production machine operators
- Warehouse workers
- Wheel and tire assembly workers
Secondary Asbestos Exposure to Tire and Rubber Workers’ Family Members
Because malignant mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases have long latency periods, it is not unusual for decades to pass before symptoms of illness appear in those who worked in asbestos-exposed jobs and environments. This unique characteristic also delayed awareness of the risks posed to these workers’ spouses and children. Today, we know that when workers returned home after working in contaminated factories, they didn’t realize that the dust on their hair, skin, and work clothes was putting their family members at risk. This secondary type of asbestos exposure has led to many spouses and children of tire and rubber workers being diagnosed with serious and deadly illnesses.
Studies Confirm Risks of Asbestos to Tire and Rubber Workers
After asbestos was identified as a carcinogen, many studies were conducted to identify those who were placed at greatest risk from exposure. Several of these research projects have noted the high number of tire and rubber workers diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, and other malignancies. In 2023, a review published in the International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health investigated the association between cancer and the rubber tire industry. Based on 17 studies involving 15 different cohorts, five of which were rubber industry employees and ten that were exclusively from the rubber tire industry, the researchers concluded that having worked in the rubber tire industry – and particularly in milling, mixing, and compounding – was associated with an increased risk of lung/respiratory cancer.[4]
Which Companies Exposed Rubber and Tire Factory Workers to Asbestos?
Rubber and tire factories were centered in Akron, Ohio, but were located across the country. Their workers were exposed to asbestos supplied by numerous manufacturers, including the Johns Manville Corporation. If you have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, the most useful information for identifying those responsible for your exposure is often a question of what factory you worked in. The factories and manufacturers below have all been associated with significant asbestos exposure and asbestos-related illnesses.
Akron, Ohio
- Firestone Tire and Rubber Company
- Goodrich Corporation
- Wooster Rubber Company
- Cooper Tire & Rubber Company
- R C A Rubber Company
- Seiberling Rubber Company
Ceredo, West Virginia
- American National Rubber Company
Decatur, Alabama
- Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
- Robbins Tire and Rubber Company
- Dunlop Rubber
- Diamond Rubber Co
Delaware, New York
- Stanwood Rubber Company
- Ajax Rubber Company, Inc
Denver, Colorado
- Gates Corporation
Huntington, Indiana
- Schachtpfister, Inc
Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Midwest Rubber Service & Supply Co
Nashville, Tennessee
- Firestone Tire and Rubber Company
Naugatuck, Connecticut
- United States Rubber Company
Portland, Oregon
- Griffith Rubber Mills manufactures
St. Louis, Missouri
- Midwest Industrial Rubber, Inc
- Purcell Tire & Rubber Company Inc.
Texarkana, Arkansas
- Cooper Tire & Rubber Company
Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts
- American Biltrite Rubber Company
- Hodgman Rubber Co
- Globe Rubber Works, Inc.
- Revere Rubber Company
- Atlantic Rubber Co., Inc.
Whitemarsh Township, Pennsylvania
- Lee Tire and Rubber Company
Lawsuits Filed by Tire and Rubber Workers
Many workers who have been harmed by exposure to asbestos while working in tire or rubber plants have taken legal action against those responsible for their exposure. Some notable examples include:
- The widow of a man who died of malignant peritoneal mesothelioma after suffering secondary asbestos exposure from his father’s work at a tire factory was awarded $30 million in damages. Thomas Jackson died at the age of 64, and his death was blamed on asbestos carried home by his father after working as a manager at the Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. manufacturing facility in Decatur, Illinois.[5]
- Tire workers in Akron, Ohio, filed thousands of claims against Johns Manville, accusing the company of negligence in having exposed them to asbestos in the city’s tire and rubber plants. The company originally set up an $80 million national trust fund, which was later increased to $500 million.[3]
How to Seek Compensation After Asbestos Exposure at a Tire or Rubber Factory
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, or another asbestos-related disease after having worked at a tire or rubber factory – or if you are the family member of a tire or rubber worker who has been sickened by secondary asbestos exposure – you may be eligible to pursue legal action against the companies responsible for your pain and suffering. Victims of asbestos-related diseases may be able to file personal injury claims or claims with asbestos bankruptcy trusts that provide compensation for their medical expenses, pain, and suffering.
The best source of information about your options is an experienced asbestos attorney. These compassionate professionals have extensive knowledge about the asbestos companies that placed parts and materials, as well as raw asbestos, into your work environment. After speaking with them, you’ll know how long you have to file before the statute of limitations for your potential claim expires, as well as what the potential benefits of pursuing legal action will be for you and your family.
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