Minnesota Asbestos Areas

Asbestos exposure has proven to be a death sentence to tens of thousands of Americans who were exposed to it before its use was banned because of its carcinogenic properties. Prior to that time, roughly before 1985, asbestos was an extremely popular source for insulating material. It was used to manufacture home insulation, ceiling tiles and flooring. In industrial settings it was used extensively to control heat in manufacturing processes because of its value as insulation. 

Asbestos Exposure & Cancer in Minnesota 

In Minnesota much of the asbestos exposure has come from power plants, iron ore mining and processing facilities, paper mills, and from home insulation products that play an important role in a cold Midwestern winter. There is currently a problem with taconite mines in northern Minnesota where the ore is contaminated with asbestos. After repeated denials from the mining company and compelling evidence of miners contracting asbestos related diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma cancer, the state legislature has funded a study.

One of the insidious properties of malignant mesothelioma is that it remains dormant for a period of many years after the initial asbestos exposure. For that reason it is important that people who may have worked in a facility where asbestos exposure was likely should consult a doctor about the potential health impact of the disease. 

Asbestos Jobsites in Minnesota

Some of the likely jobsites for asbestos exposure in past years are listed below.  Minnesotans who may have worked in one of these sites should consult a doctor about potential health hazards. It is also a good idea to consult a Minnesota mesothelioma lawyer if asbestos has in fact brought on illness.

Mortality in Minnesota from Asbestos Exposure

A study released in 2004 analyzed the reported deaths across the country from asbestosis and mesothelioma cancer, over the two decades between 1980 and 2000. Because pleural mesothelioma was often confused with lung cancer, the study assumed that some reported deaths listing lung cancer as a cause may have involved mesothelioma, if the deceased was employed in a high-asbestos-risk jobsite. In Minnesota the number of reported deaths from asbestosis was 238. The number of mesothelioma deaths was in the range of 439 to 713. 

In 1999 the federal government began tracking mesothelioma deaths carefully because of the enormous number of people who have come forward with damage claims - and who represented an enormous health and liability problem. From 1999 through the end of 2004 there were 345 mesothelioma deaths reported in the state. If you have ever worked around asbestos or been exposed to crumbling asbestos products in your home, it's better to be medically cautious and raise the issue with your physician.

Cancer Treatment in Minnesota

Minnesota is blessed with one of the finest comprehensive medical facilities in the country - that being the Mayo Clinic of Rochester, Minnesota. Mayo has expanded its reach throughout the state by participating in rural clinics and other forms of medical outreach. There actually two cancer centers recognized by the National Cancer Institute as among the 64 top facilities in the country that the Institute has designated as targets for research grants.

Mayo Clinic Cancer Center
Mayo Clinic Rochester
200 First Street, S.W. 
Rochester, Minnesota 55905 
Tel: (507) 266-4997 
Fax: (507) 284-1544 

Masonic Cancer Center 
University of Minnesota
420 Delaware Street, S.E. 
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455 
Tel: (612) 624-8484 
Tel: (888) 226-2376 
Fax: (612) 626-3069