Mesothelioma & Asbestos Exposure in New Jersey

Common Sources of Asbestos Exposure in New Jersey

Asbestos was ubiquitous in New Jersey's industrial landscape. The following categories represent the most significant sources of occupational asbestos exposure across the state.

Ports & Waterfront Operations

Port Newark and the Elizabeth Marine Terminal form one of the busiest port complexes on the East Coast. Longshoremen, dock workers, crane operators, and warehouse employees at these facilities were exposed to asbestos in ship cargo, warehouse insulation, port buildings, and equipment. The ports operated around the clock, and workers handled materials that included raw asbestos, asbestos-containing products, and worked in and around asbestos-insulated infrastructure for decades.

• Port Newark — Major cargo port with asbestos in warehouse insulation, port buildings, and ship cargo handling
• Elizabeth Marine Terminal — Container terminal with asbestos in port infrastructure and equipment insulation

Shipyards

New Jersey's shipyards were among the most significant asbestos exposure sites on the East Coast. Workers who built, repaired, and maintained ships were exposed to asbestos insulation in engine rooms, boiler rooms, pipe systems, and throughout ship superstructures. During World War II, these shipyards operated at peak capacity, employing tens of thousands of workers in conditions that maximized asbestos exposure.

• Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company (Kearny) — Major shipyard that built destroyers, cruisers, and other naval vessels; asbestos used extensively throughout ship construction
• New York Shipbuilding Corporation (Camden) — One of the largest shipyards in the country; built aircraft carriers, battleships, and commercial vessels using asbestos insulation
• Camden shipyard facilities — Multiple waterfront facilities involved in ship construction and repair with pervasive asbestos use

Chemical Plants

New Jersey's chemical manufacturing corridor — concentrated along the New Jersey Turnpike between Newark and Trenton — contained dozens of chemical plants that used asbestos insulation in reactors, distillation columns, heat exchangers, pipe systems, and facility infrastructure. Chemical manufacturing processes involve extreme temperatures and corrosive substances, making asbestos insulation essential to operations for decades.

• DuPont facilities — Chemical manufacturing with asbestos in processing equipment and facility insulation
• BASF (formerly American Cyanamid, Bound Brook) — Chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing with extensive asbestos use
• Merck & Co. (Rahway, Kenilworth) — Pharmaceutical manufacturing with asbestos in processing equipment and buildings
• GAF Corporation (Wayne) — Manufactured asbestos-containing roofing and building materials
• Johns-Manville (Manville) — Major asbestos product manufacturer; the town of Manville was named after this company

Oil Refineries

New Jersey's refinery corridor along the Arthur Kill and Raritan Bay processed millions of barrels of petroleum, and every refinery used asbestos insulation in pipe systems, heat exchangers, catalytic crackers, boilers, and storage tanks. Refinery workers — particularly pipefitters, insulators, and boilermakers — faced intense asbestos exposure during construction, maintenance, and turnaround operations.

• Bayway Refinery (Linden) — ExxonMobil refinery with asbestos throughout processing units and infrastructure
• Port Reading Refinery — Petroleum processing with asbestos in high-temperature equipment
• Hess refinery operations — Refinery facilities with asbestos insulation in operations equipment

Power Plants

New Jersey's power plants used asbestos insulation on boilers, turbines, steam pipes, and electrical components. Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G), the state's largest utility, operated generating stations across New Jersey where maintenance workers and operators faced regular asbestos exposure.

• PSE&G Bergen Station (Ridgefield) — Power generation with asbestos in boiler insulation, turbine casings, and pipe lagging
• PSE&G Hudson Station (Jersey City) — Generating facility with asbestos-containing materials in operations equipment
• PSE&G Essex Station (Newark) — Power plant with asbestos in high-temperature equipment and facility insulation

This is not an exhaustive list. Hundreds of additional industrial facilities across New Jersey used asbestos-containing materials. If you worked at any shipyard, port, chemical plant, refinery, or power plant in New Jersey before the mid-1980s, asbestos exposure is likely. Our attorneys maintain detailed databases of New Jersey exposure sites and can investigate your specific work history as part of a free case evaluation.

Types of Mesothelioma Diagnosed in New Jersey

Mesothelioma develops when inhaled or ingested asbestos fibers become embedded in the lining of internal organs, causing cellular damage that leads to malignant tumor growth over decades. New Jersey's dense industrial exposure profile produces specific patterns of mesothelioma diagnosis that reflect the types and duration of asbestos contact experienced by shipyard, chemical plant, port, and refinery workers.

Pleural Mesothelioma (Lungs)

Pleural mesothelioma accounts for approximately 75 to 80 percent of all mesothelioma diagnoses and is the most common form seen in New Jersey patients. This type develops in the pleura — the thin membrane surrounding the lungs — when inhaled asbestos fibers migrate to the pleural lining and cause chronic inflammation and eventual malignancy. New Jersey shipyard workers, chemical plant maintenance crews, and refinery pipefitters who inhaled asbestos dust are at the highest risk. Symptoms typically include persistent chest pain, shortness of breath, unexplained weight loss, and fluid buildup around the lungs.

New Jersey patients have access to world-class cancer treatment centers, including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey. Early detection significantly affects treatment options. Visit our diagnosis and treatment page for more information.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma (Abdomen)

Peritoneal mesothelioma develops in the peritoneum — the lining of the abdominal cavity — and accounts for approximately 15 to 20 percent of mesothelioma diagnoses. Treatment has advanced significantly, with cytoreductive surgery combined with heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) showing improved survival rates. Regardless of the type diagnosed, the same legal options — personal injury lawsuits, asbestos trust fund claims, and VA benefits for veterans — are available to New Jersey patients and their families.

Mesothelioma Treatment Centers in New Jersey

Patients diagnosed with mesothelioma in New Jersey have access to some of the nation’s leading cancer treatment facilities. These centers offer specialized thoracic oncology programs, access to clinical trials, and multidisciplinary care teams experienced in treating asbestos-related cancers. Early evaluation at a specialized center can significantly improve treatment outcomes.

Family Members Exposed to Asbestos in New Jersey

Asbestos exposure in New Jersey did not stop at the shipyard gate or the factory fence. For decades, workers carried asbestos fibers home on their clothing, skin, hair, and personal items — unknowingly exposing their families to the same deadly material. This secondary or take-home exposure has been documented extensively in New Jersey's industrial communities and has led to mesothelioma diagnoses in people who never set foot in a shipyard, chemical plant, or refinery.

How Secondary Exposure Occurred

New Jersey shipyard workers, chemical plant maintenance crews, and refinery employees arrived home covered in dust that included asbestos fibers. Spouses who laundered contaminated work clothes released asbestos fibers into the household air. Children who had close contact with parents in contaminated clothing were also exposed. In densely populated New Jersey communities where many residents worked at the same industrial facilities, the secondary exposure problem was widespread.

Legal Rights of New Jersey Families

New Jersey courts recognize secondary asbestos exposure as a valid basis for mesothelioma claims. Family members who developed mesothelioma from take-home exposure have the right to pursue compensation. These claims can be filed against the asbestos product manufacturers, the employers who failed to prevent fibers from leaving the workplace, and the trust funds established through bankruptcy proceedings.

Support Groups & Resources for New Jersey Families

A mesothelioma diagnosis affects the entire family. These organizations provide support, education, counseling, and practical assistance for patients and caregivers.

National Organizations

New Jersey Resources