Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory is located in Schenectady, New York. Originally established to conduct nuclear research and development, over the past several decades, it has transitioned to a nuclear propulsion project, a participant in the development of the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine, and the management, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of nuclear-powered warships. The work that Knolls has done through the years has been important to the U.S. government but has also exposed many people to the risk of asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma from the asbestos-containing materials used to construct the facility and within the facility’s equipment.
The History of Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory
The Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory’s original mission was the development of a chemical process for the separation of radionuclides from irradiated nuclear fuel, to develop the basic science of reactor design, and to develop an electric power station breeder reactor based on liquid metal coolant technology. Construction began in 1948, and operations began in 1949 under a contract between General Electric and the U.S. government. The original project was completed in 1953, but much of the process work continued for several years, and by the late 1950s, the lab was working with pressurized water technology for naval reactor applications.[1]
The Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory has been dedicated to Naval nuclear propulsion research and development under the technical direction of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program since the early 1950s. The laboratory later collaborated with the Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory, the Argonne National Laboratory, and others to develop the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Nautilus.[1] The laboratory operated its main site in Schenectady and the Kenneth A. Kesselring site in West Milton, New York, which focused on land-based prototypes of shipboard reactor plants. It also ran sites in California, Hawaii, Maine, Virginia, and Washington, as well as a full-scale nuclear reactor prototype in Windsor, Connecticut, from 1957 until 1993. It was used for testing and training of nuclear personnel. That site was dismantled from 1995 to 2001, and additional environmental remediation was completed in 2006.[2]
The Knoll Atomic Power Laboratory has been managed and operated by several different organizations, including General Electric, Lockheed Martin, the Bechtel Marine Propulsion Corporation, and Fluor Corporation.[3] The Windsor, Connecticut site, which consisted of naval nuclear propulsion plants, administrative offices, training facilities, an equipment service building, the boiler house, and waste-handling facilities, was originally designed and managed by Combustion Engineering, though by 1970 the laboratory took over its own operations. By the 1980s, Westinghouse Corporation was involved in running the labs.
The Windsor, Connecticut reactor was shut down in 1993, and the site was closed down. The Schenectady, New York site continues to be operated as part of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program along with the Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. The two labs operate under the direction of Lockheed Martin Corporation and Bechtel National, Inc., with a staff of over 5,600 engineers, scientists, technicians, and support personnel.[4]
How Was Asbestos Used at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories?
The Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories featured all of the same infrastructure and administrative buildings that other military bases across the United States had, as well as structures specifically designed to house and manage a nuclear reactor, waste-handling facilities, and the various laboratories dedicated to the high-level research being conducted on the site. In the years between the 1930s and the 1980s, asbestos was a valued component that added strength and durability to the most basic facilities but was particularly important for fireproofing and insulating facilities managing the military’s nuclear assets.
Asbestos-containing materials and parts used at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory over the years included:
- Adhesives
- Caulking
- Ceiling tiles
- Cement foundations
- Drywall
- Electrical wiring
- Epoxies
- Firebrick
- Fireproofing materials
- Floor tiles
- Gaskets
- HVAC systems
- Insulation materials
- Paint
- Pipes
- Plumbing
- Roofing
- Sealants
- Siding
- Soundproofing
- Valves
- Vinyl floor tiles
- Wallboard
Who Was at Risk of Asbestos Exposure at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories?
The use of asbestos at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories began with the site’s construction in the 1940s, but exposure to the toxic material continued throughout the years of its operation, as asbestos was heavily used in the site’s infrastructure. Asbestos was also included in equipment and materials used on a day-to-day basis. In a 1991 GAO report on nuclear health and safety, the agency noted that the Knolls laboratory suffered a major lapse in asbestos control in 1986,[5] which undoubtedly exposed employees there to exposure to the carcinogenic material.
Those who were most at risk of asbestos exposure at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories included workers who were assigned to building maintenance, boiler maintenance and repair, cement work, and insulation work. Those most at risk included:
- Insulation Workers
- Welders
- Electricians
- HVAC Workers
- Demolition Workers
- Contractors
- Construction Workers
- Boiler Workers
- Pipefitters
- Machinists
Mesothelioma Lawsuits Involving Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories
The asbestos contamination at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories has been linked to numerous diagnoses of asbestos-related diseases among those who served at the site in numerous capacities. Many of those impacted pursued legal action against the asbestos companies linked to their exposure, including Navy veteran Carl Gay, who was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma. Mr. Gay had enlisted in 1946, and between July 1954 and October 1955, he attended a training course on nuclear-powered submarines, spending ten to fifteen percent of the time on the course visiting the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory. After his death, his daughter Alissa Gay continued the legal action that he’d filed against General Electric and over 150 other defendants whose asbestos-containing products were installed or used at the site.[6]
Though the government was unaware of the dangers of asbestos, many of the companies that provided the material knew it had been linked to respiratory diseases and cancers but did nothing to warn users against its use. Those companies have been named as defendants in personal injury claims filed by those diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis, asbestos-related lung cancer, and many other diseases and have paid millions in settlements and jury awards to victims. While some asbestos companies continue to defend themselves against those claims, others have been forced into bankruptcy by their significant asbestos liabilities and have been required to establish asbestos trust funds to compensate victims tied to their products in use at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories and other sites. Among those companies are:
- Babcock & Wilcox
- Burns and Roe
- Combustion Engineering
- Eagle-Picher
- Owens Corning
- Owens Corning/Fibreboard
Were You Exposed to Asbestos at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories?
Working at a nuclear site like the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories poses all of the risks associated with radioactivity, but for many of those who worked at the site, the more pressing hazard was posed by asbestos-containing materials used in the construction, maintenance, and operation of the site. If you worked at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories, or spent time there as a visitor, you may be at risk for being diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer, or another asbestos-related disease. You may also have suffered secondary asbestos exposure if you had a family member who spent time at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories and brought home asbestos on their clothing, If you believe you have experienced that type of exposure, you must educate yourself on the signs and symptoms of asbestos-related disease and inform your healthcare professional of the risk that you face so that they can act promptly in case any of those symptoms appear.
Help for Those Diagnosed with Mesothelioma
Being diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma represents a life-changing event. While it is frightening and devastating, it is also infuriating to know the companies responsible for exposing victims to asbestos were aware of its dangers yet did nothing to protect people against the risks it posed. For many victims, after arranging for the essential medical treatment they need, the next step is seeking justice in the face of that wrong, and that involves taking legal action. Your best resource for pursuing both justice, compensation, and the economic security your family needs in the face of a serious diagnosis is a knowledgeable and compassionate asbestos attorney.
When you speak with an experienced mesothelioma lawyer, you will get all the answers you need about the process of filing a claim with an asbestos trust fund, about pursuing a personal injury lawsuit, about the possibility of negotiating a settlement with the asbestos companies, and the details and deadlines involved in all of those options.
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