North Dakota Asbestos Resources

Asbestos in North Dakota

North Dakota for the most part has remained true to its agricultural roots and for that reason has not been invaded with the asbestos products that accompanied industrialization during the twentieth century.  With a few exceptions, North Dakotans have not been at risk to asbestos exposure on jobsites; that does not mean, however, that the state is free of consumer asbestos products that were so popular during the first eighty years of the twentieth century.  The northern plains have brutal winters and it is likely that any home built before 1970 has asbestos insulation.  Asbestos roofing, ceiling tiles and flooring are also home products that either need to be sealed off or removed by a professional.

The state's electrical plants and power cooperatives are potential sites where asbestos exposure may have been a possibility.  Asbestos was often used to coat pipes and other parts of the steam plants that generate electricity because the material has great insulating properties.  Another potential site for exposure is one of the few refineries in the state, as heat is used in processing crude oil and many of the fittings in the processing units were coated with asbestos in past years.

North Dakota is also home to a couple of Air Force Bases that probably have asbestos in their walls and their power plants.  Then there are the missile silos that are scattered across the North Dakota landscape - any installation of that magnitude during the era when they were built is going to have some asbestos incorporated into some of its components.

Below is a list of jobsites where workers may have been exposed to asbestos on a frequent basis in the past, and in some cases perhaps in the present.  If you have ever worked in one of these facilities or have a family member who has, consider discussing the possibility of asbestos exposure with a physician and learn about the deadly effects inhaling asbestos fibers can have. 

Mortality from Asbestos Diseases in North Dakota

In a nationwide study of deaths from asbestosis and mesothelioma during the last two decades of the twentieth century, North Dakota had one of the lowest rates of all the states.  It had 32 deaths from asbestosis reported, and mesothelioma deaths in a range between 66 and 115.  These low figures rank North Dakota 46th among the 50 states for asbestos-related deaths. 

In 1999 however the federal government began tracking mesothelioma deaths specifically due to the enormous number of people who have come forward with health and liability claims against asbestos manufacturers and employers who used asbestos products.  From 1999 through 2004 North Dakota recorded 38 mesothelioma deaths.

Cancer treatment in North Dakota

North Dakota residents have access to one of the finest medical centers in the country, over the border in Minnesota.  The Mayo Clinic not only operates its facility in Rochester but has outreach clinics around the state.  They are recognized by the National Cancer Institute as one of sixty four major cancer treatment and research facilities around the country.

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

In state, the Cancer Center of North Dakota maintains a state of the art diagnostic unit with a dedicated staff.

Cancer Center of North Dakota
1451 44th Avenue South Unit E
Grand Forks, ND 58201
 888-785-2263 or
701-787-5800