The Barbours Cut Docks are in the town of La Porte, Texas, near what is now the Port of Houston Authority's Morgans Point facility. Located on the northwest shore of Trinity Bay, an extension of Galveston Bay, the docks have been an active place of employment for decades. The Houston Ship Channel is nearby, and Houston is one of the busiest seaports in the U.S.
Barbours Cut Container Terminal
Although La Porte is a small town (about 30,000 people live there), there are several shipyards and petrochemical companies in the area, providing work for hundreds of area residents. Exxon Mobile is a major employer, and the Barbours Cut Container Terminal continues to be quite busy.
Asbestos and More
The La Porte-area shipyards and the petrochemical refineries have been the source of asbestos and several other toxic chemicals. In 2007, a study by University of Texas researchers showed that there is a significantly increased rate of leukemia among children who live within two miles of the Houston Ship Channel.
Docks, shipyards, container terminals and petrochemical facilities have all been found to expose workers and nearby residents to dangerous levels of asbestos and other toxins. Before the 1980s, asbestos was particularly prevalent in shipyards and docks, where workers would construct or repair ships that are rife with asbestos-containing parts.
Mesothelioma, asbestosis, Lung Cancer
Asbestos is the sole confirmed cause of mesothelioma, a fatal cancer that affects the body's mesothelium, a tissue lining the chest and lungs. asbestosis and lung cancer are also common outcomes of asbestos exposure, and people who have worked in or lived near shipyards and docks have a notably higher incidence of these diseases compared to the general population.
Learn about Your Options
If you've been adversely affected by asbestos or another toxin, learn about your medical and legal options: contact us today.
