From the earliest days of the 1900s to the 1980s, asbestos was added to virtually any product that might benefit from an extra strengthening, insulating, or heat-resisting agent. Exposure to these products has led to countless cases of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. While a product like vinyl tile is an obvious source of asbestos exposure, it is easy to overlook the product that helped the tile stick to the floor – asbestos glue and adhesives.[3] Asbestos fibers were frequently added to adhesives of all types, making them a real health hazard to those exposed to them in the past, as well as anybody doing renovation work involving the removal of old asbestos-contaminated glues today.
What is Asbestos Adhesive?
Asbestos adhesives are any type of construction or industrial adhesive to which asbestos fibers were added. These adhesives were used to affix flooring tiles, boiler parts, roofing materials, and in shipbuilding, as well as for sealants and waterproofing. Other asbestos adhesives were used to adhere insulation to pipes and boilers or to cover the insulation so as to protect it.[1]
There is a long list of adhesive products, some of which contained up to 25% asbestos fibers, including:
Adhesive
Black mastic[2]
Caulking
Joint compound
Mastic
Mortar
Putty
Sealer
Spackling
Tape
These products were manufactured by companies large and small, many of whom used asbestos in multiple products. These asbestos adhesive manufacturers have frequently been named as defendants in mesothelioma and asbestos-related claims. They include:
DAP, Inc.
Durez Plastics
Hysol Aerospace Corporation
Kaiser Gypsum Company, Inc.
Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing (3M)
Jobs at Risk of Exposure to Asbestos in Adhesive Products
Asbestos adhesives were used in a wide range of occupational settings and by individuals holding various job titles. The list of workers at risk of mesothelioma from these materials is not limited to those who originally applied the products. Today, as products break down and buildings are renovated, those who are exposed to dust generated from the removal of these adhesives or the products that they were used to affix face a new danger.
Occupations at greatest risk of asbestos exposure from asbestos adhesives include:
Bricklayers
Demolition crews
Drywall tapers
Engineers
HVAC workers
Masons
Painters
Plumbers
Welders
Mesothelioma Lawsuits Filed by People Sickened by Asbestos Adhesive
The dangers of asbestos in adhesive products may best be demonstrated by the lawsuit filed by the family of Willis Edenfield, who won $2.4 million in compensation from a New Jersey jury that heard testimony about his 40-year career working in an adhesive factory. The claim was filed against Union Carbide, which provided bags of asbestos directly to Mr. Edenfield’s employer. Other winning claims have pointed to asbestos adhesive cement used to repair boilers on Navy ships and asbestos-contaminated binding mixes used in furnace maintenance and repair as the cause of asbestos-related illnesses.
Protecting Against Exposure to Asbestos Adhesives That Are In Place
The ubiquitous use of asbestos adhesives in home construction presents one of the most worrisome aspects of the product: Demolition and renovation work done today can expose unsuspecting homeowners and construction workers to asbestos-contaminated dust generated by their efforts.
If you think there is a possibility that your project might expose you to asbestos adhesive, here are a few tips to help you recognize and avoid disturbing the product:
- Rather than being hard and dry, old asbestos adhesive tends to have a springy texture and may be slightly sticky, though it will look like dried putty.
- Most asbestos-contaminated glue is black in color (hence the name black mastic) or brown.
If you are removing old vinyl tiles, there is a very good chance that both the tiles themselves and the glue used to affix them to the floor contain asbestos. If you are uncertain about whether adhesives you encounter contain asbestos, you should stop working with the product and either test the product yourself using an asbestos home testing kit or consult with a professional who can assess the dangers and, if necessary, refer you to a licensed asbestos abatement company.
