Asbestos exposure in Louisiana paper mills

Asbestos exposure has been documented in a host of industrial and workplace settings including many in the paper industry including paper, pulp and saw mills. Louisiana is home to many of these mills, and prior to changes in federal law, asbestos was commonly used to insulate equipment that operates at the high temperatures common at these facilities.

Louisiana paper mills where asbestos exposure may have occurred:

• Brown Paper Mill in Monroe, LA
• Bogalusa Paper Mill in Bogalusa, LA
• Georgia Pacific Paper Mill in Baton Rouge, LA
• International Paper in Cullen, LA
• Olin Mathieson Paper Mill in Monroe, LA
• Kraft Paper Mill in Pineville, LA

Asbestos in paper mills

Due to the media attention and a growing awareness of the danger asbestos exposure presents, you might not immediately think of a paper mill as a particularly common location for asbestos. Many people who have been following the reports might consider oil fields and refineries, or heavily industrial or construction related industries to be key areas where asbestos exposure would be prevalent, but the problem spreads beyond these industries.

In almost any industry where extreme heating is part of the manufacturing process, there is a good chance that toxic chemicals such as asbestos were used prior to 1980 to contain heat and minimize the risk of fire. The hazardous properties of asbestos are often found in older industrial plants, including paper mills. They can be found lurking in piping, conduits, safety equipment and machinery as well as many more places where employees are present and open to contamination.

What are the dangers of asbestos?

The main problem is that asbestos insulation, coating and cement eventually dry and become brittle with age. The asbestos fibers then become friable; they flake off, creating dust that is literally made up of microscopic asbestos particles that when inhaled, become embedded in the soft tissues of the lungs. It is these particles that we have since come to understand eventually cause mesothelioma and other serious health defects. Learn more about the link between asbestos and mesothelioma.

I think I might have been exposed, what do I do next?

If you have worked in a Louisiana paper mill and feel you may have been exposed to asbestos, please contact one of our experienced Louisiana mesothelioma attorneys who will take the time to explain the legal process and what options you may have.