Indiana Asbestos Resources

Asbestos in Indiana

Indiana is home to a number of heavy industries that have been associated with hazardous exposure to asbestos.  The northwestern corner of the state is considered a suburb of Chicago Central to the area are the city of Gary and La Porte County.  Many of the steel foundries for companies based in Illinois are located in Indiana.  Like most steel manufacturing areas, ancillary businesses have grown up that are also considered heavy industry.  In Indiana, these include auto manufacturing plants and plants that make parts for autos; insulation plants, and products stamped or rolled from raw steel.

There are also a large number of chemical companies in Indiana, plants that are known for the use of asbestos products to provide insulation and gaskets for production lines.  The same is true of the many power plants that provide electricity to Indiana.  Though it’s a state often thought of as a bucolic Midwestern agricultural haven with a race track in the middle, it’s actually industrialized to a surprising degree.

Many of these businesses grew to prosperity during a time when asbestos was not known to be a dangerous carcinogen, as it is now.  Inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause scarring of the lungs in the form of asbestosis, a lung ailment that can prove to be fatal.  Asbestos is also the only known cause of mesothelioma, a form of lethal cancer that manifests itself decades after the patient is exposed to asbestos.  For that reason, many of Indiana’s residents that worked around asbestos are only now learning of the frightening medical results. 

Tens of thousands of asbestosis and mesothelioma sufferers have filed claims for compensation against the companies that caused their exposure to asbestos.  Below is a partial list of firms in Indiana that are known to be locations for potential asbestos exposure.

Anaconda Wire & Cable  Anderson, IN
Anderson Municipal Power  Anderson, IN
Container Corp.   Anderson, IN
Delco Remy    Anderson, IN
General Motors   Anderson, IN
Northern Indiana Power  Baileytown, IN
Texas Gas Transmission  Bedford, IN
Indiana University    Bloomington
Owens Corning    Bluffton, IN
Grissom AFB    Bunker Hill, IN
Bethlehem Steel   Burns Harbor, IN
Midwest Steel    Burns Harbor, IN
Indiana Power & Light  Campbells, IN
Container Corp. of America  Carthage, IN
Hoosier Energy   Cayuga, IN
Indiana Power & Light  Centerton, IN
Dupont Chemical   Charlestown, IN
Bethlehem Steel   Chesterton, IN
Northern IN Public Svc.  Chesterton, IN
Eli Lilly    Clinton, IN
Public Svc Co. Indiana  Clinton, IN
Cummins Engine   Columbus, IN
Philco Ford    Connersville, IN
H.H. Robertson Co.   Connersville, IN
Olin Matheson    Covington, IN
Naval Ammunition Depot  Crane, IN
Dana Heavy Water Plant  Dana, IN
Municipal Electric Plant  Decatur, IN
Indiana Glass    Dunkirk, IN
Armstrong Cork   Dunkirk, IN
Dupont    East Chicago, IN
Harbison Walker Refractories  East Chicago, IN
Imperial Electric   East Chicago, IN
Indiana Harbor Works   East Chicago, IN
Inland Steel Co.   East Chicago, IN
Mobil Oil    East Chicago, IN
Sinclair Refining  Co.   East Chicago, IN
Youngstown Sheet & Tube  East Chicago, IN
Bethlehem Steel   East Gary, IN
Public Service of Indiana  Edwardsport, IN
Northwestern University  Evanston, IN
Arkala Corp.    Evansville, IN
General Foods    Evansville, IN
General Insulation & Roofing Co, Evansville, IN
G. Koch & Sones   Evansville, IN
Mead Johnson    Evansville, IN
Swift & Co.    Evansville, IN
Tri-State Refractories   Evansville, IN
Valley Packing Co.   Evansville, IN
Indiana Michigan Power  Fairbanks, IN
BF Goodrich    Fort Wayne, IN
Bentz Metal Products Inc.  Fort Wayne, IN
Close Insulation Co.   Fort Wayne, IN
Dana Corp.    Fort Wayne, IN
General Electric   Fort Wayne, IN
International Harvester  Fort Wayne, IN
REA Magnet Wire Co.  Fort Wayne, IN
California Packing Co.  Frankfort, IN
Frankfort Power Plant   Frankfort, IN
Swift & Company   Frankfort, IN
Bethlehem Steel   Gary, IN
Coke & Coal Water Pollution Plant Gary, IN
Inland Steel    Gary, IN
Interlake Steel    Gary, IN
Midwest Steel    Gary, IN
Northern Indiana Public Service Gary, IN
Taylor Forge    Gary, IN
US Steel    Gary, IN
Gibson Power Plant   Gibson, IN
Eli Lilly     Greenfield, IN
Alby Asphalt    Hammond, IN
Lever Bros.    Hammond, IN
Swift & Co.    Hammond, IN
Inland Steel    Indiana Harbor, IN
Youngstown Sheet & Tube  Indiana Harbor, IN
Asbestos Insulation & Roofing Co. Indianapolis, IN
Bryant Manufacturing   Indianapolis, IN
Celotex    Indianapolis, IN
Commercial & Industrial Insulation Indianapolis, IN
Chrysler Corp.    Indianapolis, IN
Falstaff Brewing   Indianapolis, IN
Fargo Insulation Co.   Indianapolis, IN
Ford Motor Company   Indianapolis, IN
General Motors Allison Plant  Indianapolis, IN
Great Lakes Foundry   Indianapolis, IN
Eli Lilly    Indianapolis, IN
Heat Lock Corp.   Indianapolis, IN
Indiana University   Indianapolis, IN
Indianapolis Power & Light  Indianapolis, IN
International Harvester  Indianapolis, IN
Lapel Glass    Indianapolis, IN
Liberty Engineering   Indianapolis, IN
Linde Air Products   Indianapolis, IN
Lisco Fabrication   Indianapolis, IN
Monon Siding    Indianapolis, IN
National Starch & Chemical  Indianapolis, IN
Owens Corning   Indianapolis, IN
Purdue University   Indianapolis, IN
Reilly Tar & Chemical  Indianapolis, IN
Rock Island Refinery   Indianapolis, IN
Stokely – Van Kamp   Indianapolis, IN
Western Electric   Indianapolis, IN
Briel Industries   Jeffersonville, IN
Colgate Palmolive   Jeffersonville, IN
Kendallville Power & Water  Kendallville, IN
Delco Electronics   Kokomo, IN
Chrysler Corp.    Kokomo, IN
Union Carbide    Kokomo, IN
Ellis Chalmers    La Porte, IN
Alcoa Aluminum   Lafayette, IN
Eli Lilly    Lafayette, IN
General Foods    Lafayette, IN
Purdue University   Lafayette, IN
REA Magnet Wire Co,  Lafayette, IN
Snider Sheet Metal   Lafayette, IN
Babcock & Wilcox   Lawrenceburg, IN
Indiana Michigan Electric  Lawrenceburg, IN
Schenley Distillers   Lawrenceburg, IN
Seagrams     Lawrenceburg, IN
Baker Specialty & Supply  Logansport, IN
Logansport Municipal Utilities Logansport, IN
Indiana Power & Light  Madison, IN
Kentucky Indiana Electric  Madison, IN
Anaconda Wire & Cable  Marion, IN
Essex Wire Corp   Marion, IN
Foster Forbes Glass   Marion, IN
General Motors Fisher Body  Marion, IN
National Can    Marion, IN
Paranite Wire & Cable  Marion, IN
RCA     Marion, IN
Indianapolis Power & Light  Martinsville, IN
Merom Power Plant   Merom, IN
Northern Indian Public Service Michigan City, IN
Neils Science Lab   Mishawaka, IN
Valley Insulating Co.   Mishawaka, IN
Lehigh Portland Cement  Mitchell, IN
RCA      Montecello, IN
Babcock & Wilcox   Mount Vernon
General Electric   Mount Vernon
Texaco     Mount Vernon
Ball State University   Muncie, IN
General Motors   Muncie, IN
Kimble Glass     Muncie, IN
Owens Illinois Glass   Muncie, IN
Pillsbury    New Albany, IN
Public Service of Indiana  New Albany, IN
Asphalt Material Construction New Augusta, IN
Chrysler Corp.    Newcastle, IN
BF Goodrich    New Haven, IN
Southern Indiana Gas   Newburgh, IN
Alcoa Aluminum   Newburgh, IN
Bryan Manufacturing   Peru, IN
Chesapeake & Ohio Railway  Peru, IN
Indiana Michigan Electric  Petersburg, IN
Indianapolis Power & Light  Petersburg, IN
Midwestern Gas Transmisssion   Petersburg, IN
Bethlehem Steel    Portage, IN
Midwest Steel    Portage, IN
Sheller Manufacturing  Portland, IN
R.J. Oil    Princeton, IN
General Electric   Princeton, IN
AVCO Manufacturing  Princeton, IN
Indiana Michigan Electric  Rockport, IN
Talon Manufacturing   Seymour, IN
National Veneer   Seymour, IN
General Electric   Shelbyville, IN
Kraft Foods    Sheridan, IN
Bendix Aviation   South Bend, IN
Cummins Engine   South Bend, IN
Great Lakes Foundry   South Bend, IN
Midland Engineering   South Bend, IN
Notre Dame University  South Bend, IN
Linde Company   Speedway, IN
General Telephone   Sullivan, IN
Swift & Co.    Summitville, IN
Central Nitrogen Inc   Terre Haute, IN
Commercial Solvents   Terre Haute, IN
Wabash River Power Plant  Terre Haute, IN
Charles Pfizer  & Co.   Terre Haute, IN
Chemico    Terre Haute, IN
Pillsbury    Terre Haute, IN
PSI Energy Inc.   Terre Haute, IN
Visking    Terre Haute, IN
Eltra Corp.    Vincennes, IN
American Rock Wool Corp.  Wabash, IN
Container Corp of America  Wabash, IN  
General Tire & Rubber  Wabash, IN
Cummins Engine   Walesboro, IN
Alcoa Power Plant   Warrick, IN
General Electric   Warrick, IN
B&O Railroad    Washington, IN
Purdue University   West Lafayette, IN
Public Service of Indiana  West Terre Haute, IN
Amoco Oil    Whiting, IN
Standard Oil    Whiting, IN
Carbide & Carbon Chemical  Whiting, IN
Union Carbide    Whiting, IN
BF Goodrich    Woodburn, IN
Alcoa Aluminum   Yankeetown, IN
Rock Island Refining   Yankeetown, IN
Yankeetown Power Plant  Yankeetown, IN

Asbestos Deaths in Indiana

In 2004 a study was completed that analyzed the data available on asbestos-related deaths from 1979 through 2001.  The study analyzes not only reported deaths and causes, but estimates what may have been deaths from mesothelioma.  The federal government did not begin tabulating mesothelioma deaths until 1999. 

In that year, the number of actual deaths was twice the estimate from 1999.  Since then, asbestosis and mesothelioma deaths have risen steadily to a plateau.  The initial study shows 140 asbestosis deaths in Indiana  over the last two decades of the 20th century, and has a range of mesothelioma deaths that suggests between 428 and 698 deaths occurred in the state.  From 1999 to 2004 the federal government registered 332 mesothelioma deaths in Indiana.

Mesothelioma Treatment in Indiana

The National Cancer Institute has developed a network of 41 superior cancer treatment centers with which they underwrite and coordinate research efforts.  These centers are often the locales where clinical tests are done to test new treatment methods for many types of cancer, including mesothelioma.  In Indiana, there are two:

Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center
Indiana Cancer Pavilion
535 Barnhill Drive
Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
Tel: (317) 278-0070
Fax: (317) 278-0074

Stephen D. Williams, M.D.
Director

Purdue University Cancer Center
Hansen Life Sciences Research Building
South University Street
West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-1524
Tel: (765) 494-9129
Fax: (765) 494-9193

Timothy L. Ratliff, Ph.D.
Director