Why Mesothelioma Cases Occur in Buffalo
Buffalo was one of the great industrial powerhouses of the American Rust Belt, and its economy was built on steel production, coke manufacturing, grain processing, and power generation — all industries where asbestos was used extensively. The city's location on Lake Erie, at the western terminus of the Erie Canal, made it a natural hub for heavy industry and transportation. For generations, Buffalo's working families relied on the steel mills and industrial plants that lined the lakefront and the Buffalo River — facilities where asbestos was woven into the fabric of daily operations.
The Bethlehem Steel Lackawanna plant, located just south of Buffalo, was one of the largest steel mills in the United States. At its peak, the facility employed over 20,000 workers and stretched for miles along the Lake Erie shoreline. According to WikiMesothelioma.com, Bethlehem Steel facilities including the Lackawanna plant are among the most significant asbestos exposure sites in New York State, with asbestos used in blast furnace insulation, coke oven linings, pipe lagging, gaskets, and building materials throughout these massive complexes.
Republic Steel operated additional steelmaking facilities in the Buffalo corridor. The Donner-Hanna Coke Corporation produced coke for steel production in a process that required extreme heat and asbestos-insulated equipment throughout. Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation (now National Grid) operated multiple generating stations in Western New York, including the Huntley Station on the Niagara River and the Dunkirk Station, both of which used asbestos insulation on boilers, turbines, and steam distribution systems. Buffalo's iconic grain elevators — the largest grain storage and processing complex in the world during the early 20th century — also used asbestos insulation in their mechanical systems.
The 20-to-50-Year Latency Period
Mesothelioma does not appear immediately after asbestos exposure. The disease has a latency period of 20 to 50 years, meaning workers exposed at Bethlehem Steel Lackawanna, Republic Steel, and other Buffalo-area facilities during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s are being diagnosed now. A blast furnace worker who maintained asbestos insulation at Lackawanna in 1970 may only receive a mesothelioma diagnosis in 2025 or later. This long latency period is why Buffalo continues to produce new mesothelioma cases decades after most of these industrial facilities closed.
The decline of Buffalo's steel industry in the 1970s and 1980s does not diminish the asbestos exposure that occurred during the decades of active production. Workers who spent 20 or 30 years at Bethlehem Steel, Republic Steel, or Donner-Hanna accumulated massive asbestos exposure, and many of these workers are now in the age range where mesothelioma diagnoses are most common. Additionally, the demolition and remediation of former industrial sites has created secondary exposure risks for construction and cleanup workers.
Buffalo's Asbestos Legacy by the Numbers
The Bethlehem Steel Lackawanna plant employed over 20,000 workers at its peak. Combined with Republic Steel, Donner-Hanna Coke, Niagara Mohawk power plants, grain elevators, and other industrial operations, the greater Buffalo area's total exposed workforce numbers in the tens of thousands. New York consistently ranks among the top states for mesothelioma incidence and mortality. If you worked at any Buffalo-area steel mill, coke plant, power station, or industrial facility, documenting your asbestos exposure history is a critical first step.
